Dangerous Games
by stephfarrow94
Summary: Ukitake is a single parent, looking after his twins while struggling to take care of them. Shunsui is his boss who tries to bully him into a relationship daily. It's weird what can pull two completely different people together, but a jealous lover from Ukitake's past is threatening everything he holds dear to him. ShunUki yaoi angst depression
1. Chapter 1

**This is a fic for one of my best friends ever. She wanted me to write a fic with Sogyo no Kotowari being Ukitake's kids, so we sat in the library together during lunch at school and came up with everything together, so she gets co-author status just because she wanted (demanded) it.**

**Also, because of OCD, I refuse to give them original names, so they're called Koto and Sogyo. **

Six years had passed by since Jyuushiro Ukitake had discovered he had children. He had found this out only because the mother of his children had arrived on his doorstep with twin boys almost two years old and demanded he take them and never contact her again. Though it had been a distressing time in his life, the frail man had taken them without hesitation, though nothing could have prepared him for the difficulty of taking care of such wild boys – not even having been the eldest of eight children.

At this moment, Jyuushiro was stressing as he tried to get his children ready for school – _tried _being the keyword.

"Sogyo..." Jyuushiro was on the verge of pleading as he knelt before the older twin, half-dressed in his own work uniform. "Sogyo, please be a good boy and finish eating your breakfast. You shouldn't put your hands in the fish tank, okay? You're upsetting them."

Sogyo pouted as he reached out and pulled on his father's hair. His white hair was short and tied back in a ponytail, his grey school uniform hanging loosely on his eight-year-old body. "Don't be mean, daddy. Koto told me to do it!"

Jyuushiro gently untangled the tiny hand from his hair and placed it on the table, trying not to wince as his white strands were tugged in the effort. "Koto, stop telling your brother to be naughty. And, please, Sogyo; don't pull on my hair; it hurts me."

Koto, the younger twin, was dressed just like his brother, his bright green eyes shining with mischief. He looked around the small kitchen they were sitting in. There were cereal boxes sitting on the bench, dirty dishes piled in the sink. The fridge was tucked in a corner of the kitchen and the window situated beside it allowed the early morning light to flow into the room, brightening it considerably from the dark it was usually in.

"But, daddy, Sogyo was being mean to me!" Koto exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at his twin. "He said you didn't like me!"

"That's not true!" Sogyo defended.

Jyuushiro's voice was weary, his face lined from tension. "That's not true, Koto; I love you both very much. And Sogyo, stop bullying your brother."

After a bit more of stress on Jyuushiro's part, he was relieved to be taking them out of the tiny apartment they lived in and outside to wait for the bus. He had fixed his work uniform, buttoning the shirt and slipping his shoes on, almost ready to go.

"I don't want to go to school," Koto whined as the bus came around the corner just five minutes later.

"You have to," Jyuushiro explained in a gentle manner. He leant down to hug his children tightly before he walked them to the bus. "Daddy has to work today. He won't be home when you guys are, so please don't mess the house again, alright?"

The twins nodded as they returned the hug before tramping onto the bus. Jyuushiro watched until it disappeared down their street before he went back into the apartment in order to finish getting ready.

After he had brushed his teeth and fixed his hair, he grabbed his car keys and left the apartment, locking the door behind him. He didn't want to go to work, just like every other day; he really wasn't feeling well and he wasn't in the mood to be sexually harassed by his boss.

_**With the twins~~**_

"Has everyone taken their seats?" the calm voice of the twins' teacher asked as he walked in the door. He wore large black-framed glasses and had messy brunet hair, emphasising his gentle appearance. His hands rested in the large sleeves that sagged downwards and his bright smile along with kind eyes gave him a very approachable appearance. His smile widened when his class chorused 'Yes, sir'.

"Aizen-sensei seems happy today," Koto whispered to his twin. He frowned when the older boy ignored him and poked the other in the arm. "Sogyo?"

"Be quiet!" Sogyo hissed. "Aizen-sensei might have something important to tell us!"

"Sogyo!" Koto whined loudly, drawing the attention of his peers and teacher. His eyes welled up with tears. "Sogyo, stop being mean to me!"

In what seemed like a second, Sōsuke Aizen was kneeling beside the twins, a gentle hand on each of their shoulders. "Are we alright here, boys? I don't need to call your father again, do I?"

Despite the gentle, concerned tone in the brunet's voice, Sogyo shook his head. "Daddy says he doesn't want you to call him anymore."

"Oh, that doesn't matter," Aizen reassured, the children too young to pick up on the sly tone in his voice. "If it's about his children, I'm sure he'll talk to me."

Without waiting for their reply, Aizen pulled his phone out of his pocket and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. Koto remained in his chair, wiping at his eyes, while Sogyo moved over to the door, his curious, trouble-making nature making him prone to eavesdropping.

"May I talk to Jyuushiro?" Sogyo heard his teacher say. There was a few seconds of silence before the brunet spoke again. "Yes, I know he doesn't want me to call anymore, but it's about his children. ...Oh, thank you very much. ...Okay. Thank you."

Sogyo wasn't sure who the man was talking to, but he knew when Aizen was speaking to his father; the brunet's tone of voice changed from calm and soothing to... well, Sogyo couldn't think of a word to describe it, but it sent shivers down his spine.

"You're talking to me, Jyuushiro~" Aizen's voice took on that tone that Sogyo didn't like. "I'm rather surprised; you usually avoid me at all costs~ ...Oh, yes, of course, Jyuushiro; they were fighting again. ...No, they are fine. ...Maybe~ Maybe I just wanted an excuse to talk to you. ...Oh, don't be like that, Jyuushiro! They love me~ ...Jyuushiro, don't hang up on – damnit."

Sogyo hurried back to his seat before his elder could return back to the room. He pretended nothing had happened as he smiled brightly, wrapping his arms around his now-calm brother.

"Are we all better now, Koto-chan?" Aizen asked, smiling at his pupil. He nodded when he received a quiet confirmation. "I'm glad. Now, everyone; we're going to learn about algebra."

Sogyo couldn't help but whisper to his brother when Aizen's back was turned. "Daddy hung up on him again."

"Yeah, I don't know why daddy doesn't like Aizen-sensei," Koto whispered back. "Aizen-sensei is so very nice."

Sogyo nodded in agreement, whispering together for a few more minutes before they each focused on their work.

_**Kyōraku Liquor Store~~**_

"Are you alright, Jyuu-chan?" Ukitake's boss, Shunsui Kyōraku, asked with a worried voice. He watched his employee wipe at his eyes with his sleeve, knowing that he should not have put the call through to the younger male.

"Y-yes..." Jyuushiro mumbled. "I'm fine."

Shunsui sighed, twisting the small brown curl that hung down in front of his face. He moved closer to the smaller man and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close. He refused to let go, even when Jyuushiro twisted and growled in his embrace.

"Let me go, Shunsui!" Jyuushiro demanded, his usually happy demeanour turning cold. "I'm not in the mood for this!"

Shunsui's tongue reached out and licked at the pale exposed flesh of Jyuushiro's neck. He shook his head. "Nope~ Not until you agree to be my lover~"

"I've said no!" Jyuushiro exclaimed in annoyance. "Stop pressuring me!"

Shunsui laughed as he released the skinny man. "That took your mind off things. Now, in return you can suck my – "

"Shunsui!" Jyuushiro snapped. "We're _working!"_

Shunsui just shrugged. "Never stopped me before, has it?"

Jyuushiro sighed. The sad thing was that the statement was true. At least Shunsui had not been as forceful about it as he usually was.


	2. Chapter 2

Jyuushiro sighed as he stepped into his apartment hours later. He looked around at the living room that had been clean this morning but was now trashed. Books were strewn all over the ground, several pages ripped out and shredded all over the ground. Soda cans and empty food packets littered the ground and the coffee table, crumbs scattered across the brown hardwood floorboard. The few DVDs they had were now halfway across the room, laying against the wall opposite their usual location; it wouldn't have been the first time the twins had thrown them at the wall for whatever reason. The curtains had been ripped down and lay in the middle of the room with large holes that looked as if they had been ran through with scissors. The majority of the ornaments Jyuushiro owned were either broken or knocked onto the ground. Food was coating the walls of the living room and, amongst all of this, the floor could hardly be seen.

"Boys?" Jyuushiro called, trying to step over the mess and onto visible floorboard whenever it was possible. He slowly made his way into the kitchen where everything was worse. Kitchen utensils were spread out along the ground, covered in something Jyuushiro wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was, the cutlery was everywhere, broken dishes lying smashed along the tiles. Food was all over the floor and the walls, sometimes in its packets but a lot of the time not. Water and more soda had been splashed all over the benches and the ground, and a kitchen chair was out on the deck, clearly having been thrown through the now-smashed glass door.

Jyuushiro slumped against the wall, not caring if he got himself dirty or not; this was a daily occurrence and he _hated _it. He put his face in his hands, trying to understand what he had done to deserve this.

"Daddy!"

Jyuushiro didn't move at first once two sets of tiny arms had wrapped around him, but he soon returned the embraces, smiling in a strained manner at his children.

"How was school?" Jyuushiro's voice cracked, but it went unnoticed to the children who only proceeded to talk excitedly about what they had done that day.

It had taken several minutes before Jyuushiro could settle them down and even longer before they reluctantly agreed to help their father clean up.

Halfway through the cleaning, Jyuushiro's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open, looking at the caller ID. He sighed, finding his boss's number. This, again, was another daily occurrence. He wasn't in the mood to answer the phone, knowing exactly what the brunet was going to say, but he answered it anyway.

"Be my boyfriend, Jyuu-chan." Not even a hello, as expected. Shunsui's voice was firm, no room for disagreement in it.

"Shunsui, we've talked about this..." Jyuushiro said softly into the phone, trying to keep his voice calm.

"I don't care. Be my boyfriend." Shunsui almost growled these words into the phone. "Be my boyfriend or else I'll tell everyone about your previous relationships. I'll tell them everything you've done that you don't want them to know about, and I'll fire you. I know the only reason you haven't quit is because you need the money and you can't get a job anywhere else."

Jyuushiro flinched, his thumb gliding over the end-call button. "...I'll hang up..."

Laughter floated in the air on the other end of the line. "A lot of good that'll do; I'm standing outside your apartment, Jyuu-chan."

Jyuushiro sighed. He knew he had no choice but to let the other in, so he moved to the front door and opened it. He moved back, giving the smirking brunet room to walk in.

"Are we in agreement, now?" Shunsui asked, reaching out to cup Jyuushiro's face. He frowned when the other pulled away. "Don't fear me, Jyuu-chan; I hate that. You know I won't hurt you."

"You _are _hurting me..." Jyuushiro mumbled as he walked through the small pathway he had managed to make amongst the mess. "You don't leave me alone, no matter how many times I tell you I don't want to be in a relationship with you..."

"I'd stop if you just say yes," Shunsui said as he followed his employee. "I love you so much, Jyuu-chan. Just be my boyfriend and I'll stop asking you."

Jyuushiro didn't reply to this; he instead leant down and picked up lollipop wrappers, throwing them into the small bin he was using. He gasped when he felt the taller male slap his ass.

"Don't do that!" Jyuushiro exclaimed as he moved away. "I hate when you do these things!"

Shunsui just tsked and moved forward, pulling the younger male into his arms. He held the pale man tightly despite the struggle the other was making. "I want you, Jyuu-chan. I'll kill myself if I can't have you."

Jyuushiro flinched and shook his head. "Don't say such things..."

"It's true," Shunsui whispered, reaching down to cup Jyuushiro's groin. "If I can't have you, then I don't want to live. I'll only ask once again, Jyuu-chan. Be my boyfriend or I'll kill myself. I'd look after you, Jyuu-chan; I'd give you anything you asked for. I'd love you with all my heart."

"..." Jyuushiro frowned. He didn't doubt that Shunsui would be good to him – he knew other people Shunsui had been in relationships with and he had never hurt them – he was more concerned about what the brunet was saying. "...I..."

"I love you, Jyuu-chan," Shunsui whispered, rubbing his crotch against the smaller male's clothed rear. "Let me love you or else I'll have nothing to live for."

Jyuushiro turned in the other's embrace to look up at the man's face. He could see nothing but sincerity in the other's expression, though he was unsure of whether or not Shunsui would kill himself. Kyōraku was a very happy person and had never shown signs of depression or wanting to end his life before. ...But such threats should be taken seriously, Jyuushiro knew that from experience.

But did Jyuushiro really want a relationship with the man who constantly made threats against him and unwanted sexual contact with him? It was true he needed the money desperately – his family was already in danger of being evicted – and the loneliness he experienced every day ate at him more and more. Maybe... it was something he had to at least try – for his children's sakes, anyway.

"...If..." Jyuushiro licked at his lips, trying to convey his thoughts into words. "...If I be your boyfriend... You'll stop bullying me...?"

Shunsui nodded, rubbing his stubbled cheek against the smooth, pale one. "I'll love you and take care of you, Jyuu-chan."

"..." Ukitake closed his eyes, finding the words difficult to say. "...Can... we see how it goes...?"

Shunsui nodded again, turning his face so that his lips were resting against Jyuushiro's cheek. He planted a sloppy kiss on it before he turned away, a large smile on his face.

"I love you, Jyuu-chan~" Shunsui cooed before he turned to face the younger before him. He kissed all over the pale skin of Jyuushiro's face, content with the proximity.

"..." Jyuushiro remained silent, hoping he wasn't going to regret this. It wasn't that he _wanted _to do; he just wanted the best for his children, and he was hoping that having a partner would make it easier for them all to get along in life.

Shunsui didn't have any plans of letting his precious go anytime soon but, once the twins came into the room with devilish smirks, his plans changed. He released his new boyfriend and instead pulled the twins into a backbreaking hug.

"Koto-chan, Sogyo-chan~" Shunsui sung as he released them. "I'm your new step-daddy~"

The twins blinked in confusion before Sogyo spoke. "...But... Daddy never said anything about us getting a step-daddy..."

Jyuushiro remained silent once again, staring down at his feet with a large frown. He knew that Shunsui loved kids and was very good with them, but what if they were too much for him to handle? What if things went well between he and Shunsui and they wanted to stay together but the twins scared him off...?

"What's wrong, Jyuu-chan?"

Jyuushiro tensed as strong arms wrapped around him. He tilted his head upwards, resting it against the sturdy chest behind him as he looked up at Shunsui's face. He mumbled something before he looked back down at his feet.

"Hmm?" Shunsui tightened his hold on the younger, resting his chin on the white hair. "Are you feeling sick again?"

Jyuushiro shivered as a warm hand reached up and touched his forehead. He pulled away slightly, not used to the contact. "Shunsui..."

"You don't have a fever," Shunsui murmured as he led his boyfriend over to the couch. He sat the smaller man down on it and smiled gently. "Just lay down, okay?"

"No, I..." Jyuushiro coughed slightly as he shook his head. "...I need to clean the house..."

"You rest," Shunsui instructed firmly. "Rest and _I'll _clean."

Jyuushiro sighed before he nodded. He lay down on the soft brown fabric of the couch and closed his eyes, hating to be seen so weak.

Shunsui, true to his word, cleaned up the mess in the living room before he moved to the kitchen to help the twins. He even went as far as to move into the boys' bedroom that had been trashed, wanting his partner to know that he was there for him – he didn't even clean his _own _home, so this should say something about how much he loved Ukitake.

Jyuushiro was fast asleep by the time Shunsui came back out, snoring softly and gripping at his shirt in what seemed to be slight distress.

Shunsui leant down and scooped the thin man into his arms. He shifted him into an easier hold and carried him into the bedroom, laying him down beneath the maroon comforter. With a soft kiss to the forehead, Shunsui said his goodbyes before he left to put the twins to bed and return home.

Kyōraku was excited about what tomorrow would bring; he had wanted Jyuushiro for as long as he had known him; almost fifteen years. He had never regretted his decision to throw out all other applications and hire Jyuushiro on the spot when the eighteen-year-old Ukitake had shown up looking for a job.

Shunsui smiled to himself; it was almost hard to believe that he finally had his treasure to himself. But would it be as easy as he thought it would be when an old ex-lover of Jyuushiro's would try and get the white-haired man back in his life?


	3. Chapter 3

To say that the twins were confused was an understatement. They were trying to wrap their minds around what their beloved teacher was telling them about their father, believing every word Sōsuke Aizen spewed.

"Kyōraku is bad news," Aizen said, sitting at his desk as he graded papers, glancing at the locked door that led to their classroom. It was lunchtime but Aizen had told the twins to stay behind once they had told him of the previous night's experience. "He'll hurt you and your father, and Jyuushiro will turn out just like him. He'll hurt you, too. He'll hit you and yell at you and let Kyōraku do terrible, _terrible _things to you."

"...Daddy wouldn't do that..." Koto whispered.

Sogyo nodded in agreement. "Yeah... A-and Kyōraku-san isn't like that... He's never hurt us before..."

"Did you know Kyōraku has a daughter?" Aizen said, hiding his hatred behind a gentle tone. He fought the urge to smirk as he nodded. "He does. Her name's Nanao. She lives with her mother because she and Kyōraku aren't together anymore."

"Why?" The twins frowned; Shunsui was such a kind, loving man, but if his daughter lived with her mother...

"Kyōraku's a terrible father," Aizen lied. He knew the truth behind Shunsui's separation with his partner and why his daughter didn't live with him, but he wasn't going to tell _that _to the twins; it would ruin his plans if he painted a positive image of the brunet to them. "He hit Nanao and yelled at her, and Nanao's mother, Lisa, got hurt all the time, too. He made them cry all the time so Lisa took Nanao and left."

Koto and Sogyo glanced at each other, too young to doubt these words. "...We thought Kyōraku-san was so nice..."

"Oh, dear no." Aizen shook his head. "Kyōraku is a terrible person, and if Jyuushiro has a relationship with him, he'll become just like him. You had better be careful around them, okay? But don't let them know I told you this or else they'll hurt you."

The boys nodded. "O-okay..."

Aizen smiled. On the outside, it would have seemed gentle and soothing but, on the inside, Sōsuke was just amazed at how easy it had been to lie to these two children. He patted their heads before he sent them off to lunch, knowing that neither boy would say a word to Jyuushiro or Shunsui about this conversation.

To say that Aizen wasn't pissed off about this new revelation was a lie; he was _furious _about what he was hearing – Jyuushiro was _his, _and he'd make _sure _Kyōraku left the picture as soon as possible. It was Friday today, meaning he had the perfect opportunity to show up at Jyuushiro's work tomorrow and do what he could to cause conflict.

_**After school~~**_

The twins trudged towards the apartment complex slowly after having gotten off the bus. Truthfully, neither of them wanted to go home because they were worried about what Aizen had told them. If everything was true, then... did that mean Shunsui was trying to build up their trust before he hurt them...? They had known the man their entire lives and never once had he hurt them. ...But then again, he had never been with Jyuushiro before.

"Sogyo...?" Koto whispered, his throat dry with anticipation.

Sogyo turned to look at the younger boy, his green eyes curious. "Are you scared?"

Koto nodded and wrapped his arms around himself. Sogyo, having always been the braver twin, pulled his brother into his arms, holding him tight.

"It's okay, Koto," Sogyo whispered. "I'll look after you, okay? Let's just stay out of their way for now and see how things go."

Koto nodded again, reluctantly following his brother into the building. They walked past the elevator, having never liked them, and instead took the stairs, climbing all the way to the sixth floor where their home was.

When they pushed open the door, they were surprised to find that their dad was already home; he didn't usually come back until six.

"Boys." Jyuushiro smiled brightly as he got off the couch he had been resting on and made his way over to his kids. He pulled them both into tight hugs and kissed their foreheads, appearing happier than he had in a while. "You're home."

The twins glanced at each other nervously before they nodded and warily returned the embrace. Jyuushiro picked up on their uneasiness and frowned. He pulled away, a look of hurt on his face.

"What's wrong?" the sickly-pale man asked. "Did I do something wrong?"

Koto and Sogyo shook their heads, trying to smile for their father's benefit. "No... We just... are tired..."

"You're never tired..." Jyuushiro whispered, knowing that something was wrong. "Neither of you... What happened?"

"We're fine," Sogyo lied. "Really. We would just like to go to our room and have a rest..."

Jyuushiro nodded, knowing that he wasn't going to get any answers out of his boys today. He stepped back and watched them go before he coughed into the blue handkerchief he was holding. He ignored the blood that dribbled from the corner of his mouth and instead lay back down on the couch, worried that he had upset his precious children somehow.

"...Maybe they're upset that I'm with Shunsui..." Jyuushiro whispered, automatically blaming himself for his twins' behaviour. "...That must be it... I'll have to talk to them about it tonight at dinner..."

Jyuushiro groaned and rolled onto his side, facing the back of the couch. He had come home from work early, having fallen into one of his fits halfway through his shift. He had collapsed to the ground in front of a customer, coughing up blood and convulsing as his chest tightened, preventing him from breathing. Shunsui had rushed to the man's side after hearing the effects the fits always inflicted and had taken care of him before demanding he go home and rest.

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro whispered again, wincing as his chest continued to tighten painfully. He groaned again and reached over to the coffee table, grabbing the glass of water and packet of medication he had left sitting there. He took the prescription and closed his eyes, trying to sleep while he waited for the medication to kick in, despite knowing it would be hard to fall into oblivion while in this state.

While Jyuushiro did finally manage to fall asleep despite the pain, he was unaware of the front door opening a few hours later and Shunsui sneaking silently to his side. He didn't stir as the other male wiped his face down with a damp cloth and picked him up in order to put him to bed. He didn't even feel the other side of the mattress dip under extra weight and instinctively snuggled into the warmth that was lying beside him.

Shunsui stayed with him the entire night, holding his boyfriend and taking care of the younger male, knowing that nights weren't easy for Jyuushiro if he had an attack; the smaller male would wake up with very high fevers and unable to breathe and sometimes choking on his own blood.

Kyōraku was oblivious to the way the two boys kept distance between them, refusing to come out of their room, even for the dinner he cooked for them. He put it down to the stress of having such an ill father, his mind never playing with the idea that they could have been afraid of him.

_**The next day~~**_

When Jyuushiro awoke, he was surprised to find that his head was resting against Shunsui's strong chest while the other's arms were wrapped around him, holding him protectively. Kyōraku snored away, fast asleep, taking no notice of the way Jyuushiro wriggled around in his arms.

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro mumbled, trying to rouse the other with his voice. "...Shunsui, wake up..."

Shunsui didn't even stir, causing Jyuushiro to sigh and lay back down against the older male. He hadn't realised Shunsui had shown up at all, having been too feverish to notice that someone was caring for him when he had continued to wake up the previous night.

Jyuushiro laid in silence for an hour longer, his head resting on the sturdy chest beneath him. He glanced at the clock, finding it was nearing six in the morning. This was very early for him to be up, especially after having had fits all night.

When Shunsui finally woke up due to Jyuushiro's prodding, he blinked sleepily at the smaller man.

"What...?" Kyōraku mumbled, pulling Jyuushiro closer to him. "It's too early..."

"I need to take my medication..." Jyuushiro whispered, unable to hide the shame in his voice. He ducked his head, hating to admit that he was sick; it made him feel weak and _different _from everyone else.

"I see." Shunsui yawned and stretched before he sat up, bringing Jyuushiro with him. He sighed before he got out of bed, really not wanting to get up but wanting to show that he was someone Jyuushiro could count on. "You stay here and I'll go get them for you."

Jyuushiro wanted to say no and get them himself, but he knew better than to argue with Shunsui; he had learnt this throughout all their years of working together. If Shunsui's mind was made up, there was no changing it.

Instead, Ukitake lay back down and waited for his partner to return. When at last the older man returned just a few minutes later with a fresh glass of ice-cold water and the packet of tablets in his hands, he pushed himself into a sitting position and tentatively reached out.

"Thank you, Shunsui," Jyuushiro said softly. He took his medication without complaint, having been taking them ever since he was a young child.

Shunsui just sat beside him, waiting patiently for Jyuushiro to feel better and leave the bed. However, he soon got bored of just waiting and instead moved closer to Jyuushiro, holding him close.

"Hey, Jyuu?" the brunet said, smiling as he thought about his question. He continued speaking when the other's head tilted slightly, indicating that Jyuushiro was listening. "Can you suck my cock now?"

Jyuushiro tensed and shook his head, turning around to look at his partner with wide eyes. "Shunsui, we've only been together for a bit over a day! I-I can't do things like that so soon in a relationship!"

Shunsui pouted. "Are you sure? I'll suck yours if you want me to."

"I don't want you to do it to me, either!" Jyuushiro cried, pulling away from the other man. "I want to wait a while!"

"C'mon, Jyuu-chan; it'll feel great. I promise." Shunsui smirked as he pulled Jyuushiro back against his side. "I'll even use a condom if it'll make you feel better."

"That's not it!" Ukitake protested. "I'm not ready for intimacy just yet!"

Shunsui sighed and pouted. "Fine. But at least give me a handjob."

"Shunsui...!" Jyuushiro growled. "You're really pushing it."

Kyōraku snorted before he pulled Jyuushiro on top of him. "Fine. But lay on top of me so I can at least pretend you've ridden me."

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro sighed. "...Fine..."

A content smile crossed Shunsui's face as he closed his eyes, hoping to slip back into slumber. He was lulled back into oblivion by having his love so close to him, feeling more at ease then he had in a long time.

Jyuushiro was uncomfortable with all of Shunsui's advances, but he knew the older man wouldn't act on his urges. He knew he was safe in Shunsui's arms and, following Kyōraku's impression, drifted back off to sleep, relieved that it was the weekend and he did not have to get up and get the kids ready for school.


	4. Chapter 4

Shunsui hated watching Jyuushiro work himself to death, but he knew there was nothing he could do short of suspending him on the spot that would make him stop and take a break – but even if he _was _suspended, Jyuushiro would still continue to work.

"Jyuu-chan, please stop what you are doing and take your break," Shunsui all but pleaded, knowing his boyfriend was pushing himself beyond what his weak body was able to handle. The white-haired man did it every shift; working beyond his capacity just because he didn't believe in slacking off at work no matter what the circumstances were. "You were very ill last night. You're going to make yourself worse."

Jyuushiro shook his head, wiping at the sweat that dripped down his neck as he fixed one of the stands displaying a new brand of liquor. His breathing was harsh as he replied, "I'm fine, Shunsui."

"Jyuushiro, if you don't get in the tearoom and take your break..." Shunsui started to threaten before he sighed, knowing it was no use. "Please? I hate seeing you pushing yourself like this."

Jyuushiro offered a weak smile at his boss before he nodded reluctantly. "...I guess I am feeling a little tired..."

Shunsui smiled back, knowing that the other had finally agreed to take a break. Jyuushiro would never out-right admit it, but he knew when he needed to stop working and rest; it was just a matter of talking the other into it. Ukitake hated nothing more than being seen as weak and fragile, one of the reasons he always worked so hard; Shunsui was certain he wasn't just proving to others that he wasn't as delicate as others treated him – he was proving it to himself, too.

Shunsui watched as the younger male disappeared out into the backroom before he continued his task of scanning in tickets for the new products. He was the only one out on the shop floor for a few minutes before the door opened and a brunet walked in.

Kyōraku put down the scanner and turned to smile at his customer before he frowned deeply, his eyes narrowing into a glare.

"What are _you _doing here." Shunsui demanded, his voice thick with hatred. "Haven't you caused enough trouble for Jyuushiro already?"

Sōsuke Aizen smirked, his glasses gone and hair slicked back. His gentle appearance was gone, replaced by an unwelcoming demeanour. "There's no such thing as too much trouble, Kyōraku. Is what the twins told me true? You're trying to take away _my _Jyuushiro?"

"He doesn't belong to you," Shunsui growled, staying where he was. He wasn't intimidated in the least and he would do all he could to stop the man from causing problems for Jyuushiro here, as well. "He can date whoever he wants."

"He's _mine." _Aizen glared back coldly at the older male. "He's mine, and _no one _can have him except for _me_."

"And you wonder why he broke up with you..." Shunsui muttered. "Look, he –"

"Shunsui, is it okay if I go and grab my lunch from – oh..."

Both Shunsui and Aizen turned to glance at the door that led to the backroom. They saw Jyuushiro standing there, a look of uncertainty on his face.

"Jyuushiro, go back into the tearoom," Shunsui said in a gentle manner.

Just as the pale man turned to do as he was told, he was stopped almost immediately by Aizen's voice.

"Has he fucked you yet, Jyuushiro."

Ukitake flinched at Aizen's harsh voice. He turned back around and lowered his gaze to the ground as he shook his head. "...N-no..."

"It's not your business what we've done," Shunsui said. "Get out."

Aizen chuckled. It was a dark, unsettling sound. "How would Lisa feel if she knew you've replaced her with someone belonging to _another?_"

"Leave her out of this."

Jyuushiro flinched at his boyfriend's hiss. He had never seen Shunsui angry before; he was always so calm and collected. It was... _scary _seeing him like this.

"And Nanao?" Aizen continued on. "She'd think you're replacing her with _someone else's _kids!"

"Leave my family _out _of this." Shunsui's hands clenched.

"Ah, but I guess you don't care too much about them either way. You only see them once a month. Can't be too upset, I guess."

Jyuushiro glanced at Kyōraku. He was surprised to see a deep hurt shining in Shunsui's grey eyes. He bit his lip; though he didn't know the full story behind Shunsui's and Lisa's separation, he knew it caused a great amount of pain to the brunet to be so distant from them.

"Nanao turns eighteen tomorrow, right?" Aizen continued on, unafraid of the way Shunsui's body tensed and quivered with anger. "Are you going to skip out on that birthday, too? When was the last time you saw either of them for a celebration?"

"_Get out!" _Shunsui roared, picking up a bottle of whiskey and throwing it at Aizen, almost unaware of the way the glass smashed against the wall behind the brunet. _"Get the _fuck _out!"_

Aizen laughed as he turned to leave, but he said one last piece to Jyuushiro before he left. "I wonder how Byakuya would feel if he knew the truth about the twins, Jyuushiro. I guess I'll have to tell him the next chance I get."

Jyuushiro wrapped his arms around himself, afraid and unknowing of what to do. Ignoring the threat against himself, he focused more on his partner; Shunsui had _never _acted like this before and it _terrified _him. His heart wrenched upon watching Shunsui slide down the wall and put his face in his hands. He didn't even realise tears of his own welled up in his eyes when he heard Kyōraku's strained sobs.

"Shunsui...?" Jyuushiro whispered as he approached slowly, nervous of the fact that he didn't know what to expect. He took it as a good sign that Shunsui didn't do anything other than continue crying. The ill man knelt next to his partner and placed a tentative hand on the taller male's shoulder. "Shunsui, are you okay...?"

"...I love them..." Shunsui choked out amidst his tears. "...I love them so fucking much... I had to leave... I had to protect them, Jyuushiro... But if I could go back... I'd have _never _let this happen..."

Jyuushiro nodded. He sat down next to the older male and rested his head on the quivering shoulder. He didn't know what to say or how to make Shunsui feel better, so the best he could do was sit with him and listen to what Shunsui had to say while leaving him only to serve the odd customer.

Jyuushiro had never thought he would see Shunsui this way. The man was just too happy and carefree! Seeing him this way... i-it just didn't... Shunsui should _never _be upset; it was just too out-of-character for him.

But when the stubbled brunet soon fell asleep leaning against Ukitake, the smaller man realised something; Shunsui wasn't as strong as he pretended to be – just like how _he _was weaker than he would care to admit.

Maybe... they were destined to take care of each other. Perhaps there had been a reason Shunsui had been so desperate for Jyuushiro to return the feelings. Perhaps they... were just meant to be.

_**Closing hour~~**_

Jyuushiro always looked forward to the last half-hour of his shift where the store was closed to customers and all that was left to do was Shunsui counting the tills and Ukitake cleaning up around the store until the brunet finished.

They worked in silence, Shunsui counting the money under his breath and Jyuushiro scraping the occasional bottle against others as he faced them properly. The quiet was soon broken by Shunsui directing his voice towards Jyuushiro.

"Thank you for staying with me today, Jyuu-chan..." Shunsui mumbled, obviously uncomfortable with having to talk about what had transpired earlier that day. "It... really means a lot to know that you're still willing to be with me after seeing me like that."

Jyuushiro turned back to smile at his boyfriend. "It was the least I could do after everything you've done for me over the years, Shunsui. I'm just sorry he's involving you in this."

"Nonsense, Jyuu-chan." Shunsui put down the money he had been counting and moved to Jyuushiro's side. He wrapped his arms around the younger, holding him close so that Jyuushiro's back was resting against his chest. He turned Ukitake's head so that he could place a gentle kiss on the pale lips. "I love you and I want to look after you. I'm not going to let you go through this by yourself, of course, and as for what he was saying to me... I was just caught off-guard is all. I won't let him ruin our relationship. I love you too much to want to let you go after having finally gotten you."

Jyuushiro was unresponsive to the kiss for a few seconds, but he eventually found the courage to press back against the man's mouth. He didn't usually kiss his partner so early on in a relationship, but something about Shunsui made him feel like he were truly loved and safer than he had felt in any of his previous ones.

When they broke apart, Shunsui smiled brightly at the white-haired male before he placed a tiny kiss on the pale nose before him. He sent a crooked grin at Jyuushiro when the other pouted in what he could only find was an adorable manner.

"Jyuu-chan~" Shunsui sung, tightening his arms around the other's waist. "Jyuu-chan, tomorrow I am going to visit Nanao and Lisa for Nanao's birthday. Will you please come with me? I want to introduce you and the twins to them."

Jyuushiro frowned and looked down at his feet. It was true he had met Lisa a handful of times over the years he had worked for the man, but he didn't feel as if he should be going to such an important event while he had no true connection to either Lisa or Nanao.

"...I... I don't feel comfortable with the idea..." Jyuushiro muttered, knowing that he was hurting his partner's feelings. "...I don't know them..."

"But you're my boyfriend and I love you and I want you to know my family," Shunsui whispered, resting his chin on Jyuushiro's shoulder. "Please? It would mean the world to me if you came along."

"...Okay..." Jyuushiro could literally feel the way glee wafted from Shunsui. He smiled to no one in particular, knowing that he had just made Kyōraku happier than he could have any other way.

"They'll love you," Shunsui said, starting to ramble in his excitement. "They'll love you so much and they'll be so happy to meet you and the boys. I already have Nanao's present at home. I can't wait to see the look on her face when I give it to her. And Lisa's, too. She'll be so glad that I'm there and I have so much to tell her, and..."

Jyuushiro smiled, listening in fond silence to everything Shunsui had to say. It was heart-warming to hear the way Kyōraku talked about his family with such obvious love. Ukitake soon found himself hoping that one day Shunsui would talk about him to others just like he was talking about his family now.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N This chapter is more for a bit of slightly answering questions, raising more, and delving into character backgrounds, though there will still be plot in it; you just won't know what's plot until later on in the fic. All questions will be answered as soon as possible with all the detail I can spare that won't ruin future plot.**

Sogyo and Koto had only ever been in Shunsui's car a handful of times when the brunet had been taking care of them for Jyuushiro. This was the first time they had gotten in the car in order to go to another person's home with Shunsui.

Neither twin wanted to speak, Aizen's words still weighing heavily on their mind, though they were finding it very difficult to believe what the man had said; Shunsui had only ever been good to them and now that he was 'dating' Jyuushiro, he was more affectionate than ever.

Shunsui glanced in the rear view mirror at the boys. He smiled, sensing their uneasiness. However, he didn't put it down to _him _being the cause; he thought that they were just anxious about being somewhere unfamiliar.

"There will be other kids you can play with," Shunsui said softly. "They're all very nice. You'll like them."

"...Okay..." Sogyo muttered. He reached out and gripped his brother's hand, squeezing it. "...Kyoraku-san...? How long will we be here for?"

Shunsui glanced at Jyuushiro before he spoke again. "Well, I would really like to be there for as long as I can, but I'll leave once Jyuushiro is ready to."

"No, no, it's okay," Jyuushiro said, turning to look at his boyfriend. He had been staring out of his window with his chin in his hand, deep in thought, but had snapped back to reality as his name was spoken. "I don't mind. They're your family; we'll stay for as long as you want."

Shunsui smiled. He took his left hand away from the steering wheel and instead reached over to hold his partner's hand. "Thank you, Jyuu-chan. That really means a lot to me."

Jyuushiro smiled back before he returned to gazing out of the window. He allowed the other to hold his hand, enjoying the warmth Shunsui radiated.

They drove for another hour, leaving their town of Seireitei and heading over to Karakura Town. Jyuushiro wondered why Lisa and Nanao had moved so far away after the breakup but, from what he had heard, he had his suspicions.

When they at last pulled up outside a rather large home, Shunsui proudly announced that they had arrived. The home was two-stories, a porch running along the front of the house with an adjoining garage.

Jyuushiro opened the back door for his children and helped them out. They walked on either side of him, holding the man's hand. Neither twin knew what to expect, and it scared them; what if Aizen was right? What if Shunsui was a great actor? What if Jyuushiro was in on Shunsui's plans? What if...?

"Boys, please behave here, okay?" Jyuushiro's soft voice broke the boys out of their thoughts. He looked stressed, his face pale and his jaw taut. "...I... I'm really asking for you to be good... If only while we're here..."

"They'll be fine, Jyuu-chan." Shunsui's strong arm wrapped around frail shoulders. He kissed the younger's cheek as he comforted the other. "There are other kids here and I'm sure they'll be good. Don't stress, alright?"

Jyuushiro nodded. He reached up and gripped the hands that were entwined on the front of his chest and smiled up at his partner. "You're right. Thank you, Shunsui."

Shunsui just kissed the side of Jyuushiro's mouth in response as he walked the pale man into the house and out to the backyard.

Ukitake felt uneasy about just walking into a stranger's home like this, but he trusted Shunsui knew what he was doing.

When they walked out into the backyard of the home, Jyuushiro was rather surprised to find that it was a large gathering. There were people all over the huge fenced-in backyard, tables covered with food and drinks on the cement underneath the shelter at the back of the house.

Jyuushiro looked down when small hands gripped his pants. He patted the twins' heads before he looked up at the brunet, finding him scanning the crowd as if he were looking for someone.

When at last, Kyōraku found who it was he was looking for, he grabbed Jyuushiro's hand and pulled him along without warning, calling out for someone with a large grin on his face.

Two black-haired women looked up from where they had been stacking wrapped presents on a small bench in the middle of the yard. They both smiled and held their arms out, inviting Shunsui in for a hug.

Shunsui let go of Jyuushiro and pulled the two women into a bear-hug, saying how happy he was to see the women again. The white-haired male could tell that Shunsui was reluctant to let go of them, so he couldn't help but feel warm inside when he witnessed his partner kissing both females of the forehead.

"I'm glad you could make it today, Shunsui," one of the women said in a soft tone. "Nanao has been hoping you'd be able to come."

"Well, of course I came." Shunsui's grin was bigger than Jyuushiro had ever seen it. "It's my little Nanao-chan's eighteenth; how could I _not _have come? It seems like just yesterday I was holding you in my arms and singing you a lullaby, Nanao-chan."

Jyuushiro looked at the two females, observing them closely. He recognised the woman with her tied back into two plaits and wearing a blue-and-white kimono as Lisa Yadomaru, Shunsui's old girlfriend. The girl, who was now blushing and muttering about what an idiot the brunet was, wore glasses similar to Lisa's square ones, and her hair was clipped at the back, holding it in place. Her kimono was silver with small imprints of flowers on it.

Jyuushiro blushed as dark as the girl when Shunsui's arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him close. He instinctively reached out and grabbed his boys' hands, making sure that they were still with him.

"This is Jyuushiro-chan and his boys, Sogyo and Koto," Shunsui introduced in a happy manner, shaking Ukitake as if to emphasise his point. "Jyuu-chan, you remember Lisa-chan, don't you? And this is my precious Nanao-chan~ She got all her good looks from myself, of course, so don't listen to Lisa-chan."

Nanao gaped and grabbed one of the presents from the bench that looked suspiciously like a book. She whacked her father over the head with a loud exclamation of 'fool!' before she returned the present to its previous resting spot.

Lisa smiled at Jyuushiro, ignoring what was a normal occurrence between her family. She walked closer to the ill male, observing the three newcomers closely.

"I remember you," the black-haired woman said as she made eye contact with Jyuushiro. Her voice was so soft, it would be easy to miss it if Jyuushiro were not listening properly. "I've met you a few times at Shunsui's store. He talks about you all the time. I don't think we've had a conversation since we separated that didn't involve you. Your name always seems to come up, even if it's just once."

Jyuushiro ducked his head shyly. Shunsui had always made advances and asked him out ever since his first day on the job, but this was something he didn't know. Did Shunsui really feel so strongly for him, even back then?

Lisa leant down to look at the twins who were hiding behind their father shyly. She reached out and petted their heads as if to comfort them. "He talks about you two, as well. I hear you're both very mischievous."

"You'll have to excuse them," Jyuushiro said as he leant down and wrapped his arms around his twins. "They're a bit shy with strangers."

"That's alright." Lisa straightened up, continuing to talk to Ukitake while Shunsui and Nanao conversed. Their discussion was broken only when Shunsui moved in between them and grabbed the twins.

"I'll introduce them to some of the other kids," the brunet said before he disappeared with the kids in tow.

Jyuushiro bit his lip as he watched them leave. He knew the twins would be nervous so he could only hope they would be okay. He saw that Nanao had followed the man and wondered if what Aizen had said was true; if Shunsui _was _trying to replace the girl with someone else's kids.

"Thank you for what you are doing."

Jyuushiro snapped out of his reverie at Lisa's voice. He turned back to the woman with a questioning gaze.

"Shunsui," Lisa explained. "Being with him. Thank you. He loves you more than you could imagine. He's been so lonely and depressed since our separation, but whenever he's with you, it's almost as if we never broke up from what he's explained to me."

"I... didn't know he was depressed... Not even lonely..." Jyuushiro frowned. Was his partner really depressed? He had never seemed like it except for when Aizen had shown up at the liquor store. And being lonely? Really? He spent all of his time at work hitting on his employee and outside of work stalking Jyuushi – oh... So that's why...

Lisa nodded. "Well, he was a bit depressed when we first met, but he got better when we got together. But now... he's said he is back on his anti-depressants."

"May I ask why you two broke up?" Jyuushiro hoped he wasn't intruding on something personal from the reaction he had seen in Shunsui when Aizen had brought up the topic. "I-I understand if you don't want to talk about it..."

"No, no..." Lisa frowned. "...We broke up because it was the safest thing we could do... It's... hard to talk about, but... someone wasn't happy about us being together, and... they made threats against us. ...We didn't take them seriously, but... when they acted on one of their threats against Nanao, we made the decision... I took Nanao and moved to Karakura where I had friends I could stay with, but Shunsui stayed in Seireitei with his mother."

"I'm sorry." Jyuushiro ducked his head as he bit his lip again. "...I... shouldn't have asked..."

"It's alright." Lisa smiled softly. "We loved each other, and we still do, but we knew it was best for us to separate. He has you now to make him happy. I know he's wanted you for a very long time."

Jyuushiro smiled back. "Yeah; he's been very... _persistent, _for lack of a better word."

"Take care of him. God knows the lazy drunk can't take care of himself."

The pale man laughed. "Okay. It was nice talking to you, Lisa-san. I'm going to find where he took my kids."

Lisa nodded at the man as she returned to her task of organising the presents. Jyuushiro left, walking slowly as he searched for his children. He wondered about what the woman had told him. Shunsui on anti-depressants? Someone unhappy with he and Lisa being together? Hurting Nanao? This was a lot to take in and he wondered why it had never come up between them before; despite Shunsui's constant attempts at claiming Jyuushiro for his own, they both got along so well, they knew almost every secret, problem and worry the other had.

Jyuushiro gasped and spun around when someone grabbed his wrist. He let out the breath he had unconsciously held and sighed when he saw it was only Shunsui.

"What were you thinking about?" Shunsui asked as he pulled the other into a hug. Their chests pressed against one another as the brunet rested his chin on white hair. "I called out to you and you just kept walking."

"Oh." Jyuushiro returned the embrace, feeling safe and loved in those strong arms. "I was talking to Yadomaru-san and she just mentioned some... interesting things."

Shunsui nodded before he pulled the smaller male over to a woman who seemed to be in her late fifties. Her hair was brown and hung down her back, small strands framing her aged face. Her eyes were grey like Shunsui's and wore a lot of jewellery. A necklace with the kanji for eight hung around her neck and bracelets covered her wrists. Her kimono was a simple white one. Her smile was gentle and loving as she surveyed Jyuushiro.

"So you're Ukitake-san?" the woman's voice was soft like Lisa's but held a tone of authority that screamed 'respect me'. "Shunsui has told me all about you."

"..." Jyuushiro frowned and looked at Shunsui, unsure of who this woman was. Shunsui just laughed loudly at the situation, offering no help.

The lady seemed to sense Jyuushiro's plight as her smile widened and she held out her hand. "I am Hana Kyōraku; Shunsui's mother."

"O-oh." Jyuushiro blushed in embarrassment as he took the hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Kyōraku."

"Yes, dear; same to you." Hana's eyes twinkled in amusement as Jyuushiro struggled to find words. However, all signs of amusement left her face when Jyuushiro spoke next.

"Is Shunsui's dad here, too?" Jyuushiro asked in his politest tone, hoping to make a good impression on the woman by showing an interest in her family.

Jyuushiro missed the dark look that crossed Shunsui's face for a brief second at the mention of his father, but the younger male heard the bitter, angry tone in his voice when the brunet turned and said he was going to talk to Lisa.

Jyuushiro bit his lip as he watched his partner go. He turned back to Hana, feeling very uneasy. "Did I... say something wrong...?"

Hana looked uncomfortable herself, but her tone was still strong. "I understand you did not know, but Shunsui's father is a very sensitive topic for him. It was understandable he has not told you this."

"...Is he..." Jyuushiro swallowed, not sure if he wanted to finish that sentence or not; what if he made things worse? "...Has he... passed...?"

Hana shook her head and reached out, placing her hand on Jyuushiro's shoulder. "Sweetie, though it is not the case, Shunsui wishes it were."

"O-oh..." Jyuushiro sighed. First Lisa, now Shunsui's mother? What was wrong with him? "...I am so sorry... I-I seem to be having a bad day; I keep asking personal questions and upsetting people."

"Well, this one certainly is not your fault." Hana reached down and took Jyuushiro's hand, leading him to the back door and into the house. They moved to the kitchen table that was tucked away in a corner and sat down. "You see, Shunsui would not have told you anything about this because he can't stand the thought of his own father. I will not bad-mouth his father because you are my son's boyfriend, but he... was not a kind man. He did some pretty terrible things to both Shunsui and myself."

"...Yadomaru-san did mention that Shunsui was depressed..." Jyuushiro sighed. "...I didn't know he was until she mentioned it, but... is that why...?"

"Yes." Hana looked down at her hands. "I thank you very much for loving my son despite what you are only just finding out today, but I cannot urge you enough to remain quiet about these things; you'll only upset him."

Jyuushiro nodded. "Did Yadomaru-san or Nanao-san know about... _him...?"_

"Lisa-chan did," Hana said. "As I requested of you, she did not ask him; she waited for him to open up to her. It took a long time into their relationship before he said anything, but Lisa did know. As for Nanao... Well, all she knew was that her father had a rough time before meeting her mother."

"...He seems so happy..." Jyuushiro was finding this so hard to believe, but he did not doubt anyone's words; what he had witnessed after Aizen had hit his weak spots...

"Most of the time he genuinely _is _happy." Hana's voice was gentle as she reached out and grabbed Jyuushiro's hands. "Then there are the odd occasions where it's hard to tell because he's good at wearing masks."

"I'll have to work hard at looking past them, then." Jyuushiro smiled at the woman, his words sincere. He had no intention of leaving Shunsui because of this; maybe Jyuushiro's family hadn't abused or neglected him like Shunsui's father presumably had, but he hadn't had an easy life himself. Together, he was sure they could each heal the damage in their hearts.

_**~~Later on at the party~~**_

Jyuushiro had lost track of time as he sat next to Shunsui, watching Nanao unwrap her presents. His boys were in his lap, fast asleep, and he himself wasn't far from oblivion himself. He had had numerous chances to be taken home when Shunsui offered, but he could see how much it meant to the brunet to be here with his family, and he couldn't possibly be so selfish and take Shunsui away.

When Nanao had unwrapped the last present and gingerly placed it with the others, she pouted at her parents.

"You two didn't get me anything..." Her voice was soft and she sounded as if she were going to cry.

Shunsui laughed as he stood up and made his way over to his daughter, Lisa following behind. He wrapped the girl in his arms, soothing her before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. He dangled it in front of the girl's face before he released Nanao and moved to hug Lisa instead.

"We got you a present," Shunsui said. He laughed again when the key was snatched from his hand and rested his head on Lisa's shoulder. "It's black, has four wheels and goes _vbroom!"_

Nanao's face was priceless. It went through many emotions in a matter of seconds; sadness, shock, confusion, disbelief, doubt, happiness... It was as if watching someone flick through the pages in a book to make a picture move.

"...You..." Nanao looked up at her parents, fighting back tears. "...You really got me a car...?"

Shunsui and Lisa nodded. Kyōraku moved forward and tenderly kissed his daughter on the forehead. "We wanted it to be a surprise so we kept the car at Hirako-san's home so you wouldn't see it and get suspicious."

Nanao hugged her father tightly before she moved to envelop her mother. "I love you both..."

"We love you, too, Nanao-chan." Shunsui hugged his girl tighter than ever, wishing that this moment would never end.

Their audience clapped and cheered, smiling at the heart-warming scene. Jyuushiro smiled and kissed the male's cheek as Shunsui sat back down next to him a few seconds later.

"Are you still tired?" Shunsui asked as he wrapped his arms around the smaller man. He tsked when Jyuushiro nodded. "Can't have this; you'll get ill again. C'mon; I'm putting you to bed."

Jyuushiro squeaked as he was pulled to his feet without warning. The boys that had been on his lap had tumbled to the ground once their pillow had become uneven, but neither child awoke. Shunsui leant down and picked up Koto, gesturing for Jyuushiro to do the same with Sogyo.

"C'mon." Shunsui held Jyuushiro's hand as he pulled the younger into the house and down one of the corridors.

Jyuushiro was reluctant to enter the bedroom he had been pushed into but, with reassurance that this was a spare bedroom and no one was using it, he took his children straight over to the bed and, after laying them down under the blankets, he did the same and followed them into slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

It came as a shock to find the eviction notice pinned to the door of his apartment for Jyuushiro when they came home that night. He should have known it was coming; he was two months behind in rent and his kids were always causing damage to the property. It was a surprise they had stayed there for as long as they had.

"What does this mean?"

Jyuushiro looked down at Sogyo, heartbroken to find that his oldest twin didn't understand that they were being forced to move out. He leant down and pulled Sogyo into a hug before he grabbed Koto and hugged them both as if his life depended on it.

"...It just means we have to find a new home..." Jyuushiro whispered as he rocked his boys back and forth. He struggled to keep the tears in, wanting to be strong for his children in their hard times; if _he _couldn't be strong, how would his boys ever cope without him?

"But, daddy, I don't want to find a new home." Koto pulled away and pouted. "I want to stay here. This is our home."

"We don't have a choice," Jyuushiro whispered. He felt Sogyo's fists grip his shirt tightly and he couldn't help but rest his face in the short hair. "We have to leave, or else the police will come and we will be in a lot of trouble."

"I don't wanna go..." Koto knew his eyes were tearing up, but he could care less about crying; he just didn't want to leave the one place in his life he felt safe. They had moved to that apartment two years ago after Jyuushiro had broken up with Aizen and, ever since arriving there, they didn't feel as if they were in danger like they did when they lived in Aizen's home; people didn't come and go all the time here, didn't act strangely or make odd comments to Jyuushiro that made him cry.

Shunsui, who Jyuushiro had forgotten was even there, moved to stand behind the oldest Ukitake and pull all three of them into a tight hug. He rubbed his cheek against Jyuushiro's, whispering, "I feel as if this is my fault... I shouldn't have dragged you guys across towns like that..."

"It's not your fault..." Jyuushiro reached up and grabbed the large hand that was hanging loosely by his son's leg. "...We couldn't afford to pay the rent... You didn't have anything to do with this..."

"But..." Shunsui bit his lip before he sighed. "...As your boss and the one who pays you personally... I should have made sure you had enough to survive on..."

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro released his children and twisted in the older male's arms, turning to face him. "...Shunsui, I _know _you paid me _every cent _you could afford to give me. It's not your fault. We'll... We'll be okay..."

"You're living with me." Shunsui's voice had taken on that harsh, demanding tone he only ever used when he was trying to coerce the younger into a relationship. He reached up and placed a finger over pale lips that had opened in order to protest. "No argument. I refuse to let you take two boys and struggle like this. I... I always told you I loved you, but... I should have done more than just say it. I should have helped you out _before _it came to this."

Jyuushiro shook his head. "I _know _you love me because even back then, you proved it in every little thing you did. You just didn't know how to help, and I understand that, but please... D-don't make me take advantage of you like this."

Shunsui scoffed. "You're hardly taking advantage of me if I'm not taking no for an answer. Look; go inside and do your best to pack up what you can in whatever you have while I go and get boxes, okay? I'll help you pack and everything."

Jyuushiro wanted nothing more than to object to his partner's kindness, but he knew it was for the best; he had two boys he had to look after, and he couldn't do that on the streets. Instead, he did his best to ask the boys to help him with the packing as gently as he could, knowing that the twins were distressed about this situation.

As expected, the two kids threw tantrums and cried, not understanding fully what was going on, until they exhausted themselves. They reluctantly helped, but not without the offhand comment or the occasional tears.

_**Two days later~~**_

Jyuushiro was usually frustrated with the small amount of possessions he had in his home, seeing it as a sign of how hard it was for him to keep his family alive. But now, he was thankful that he didn't own more as he and Shunsui had finally finished moving the last of the belongings into Kyōraku's three-bedroom home, the furniture the last to arrive as they had to wait for the moving truck to fit them into a busy schedule.

"You've never actually been here yourself, have you?" Shunsui asked as he sat down on the couch, gesturing for Jyuushiro to do the same. The kids were at school, leaving the adults alone. He smiled when Jyuushiro shook his head. "What do you think? Better than a crappy old apartment, don't you think?"

Jyuushiro nodded as he ducked his head, a small smile on his face. "...It is... Can I tell you something?"

"Of course, Jyuushiro; you know you can tell me anything." Shunsui spread out along the couch, resting his head in the younger's lap.

"..." Jyuushiro sighed as he twiddled his thumbs. "...The real reason I was nervous to move in with you... I-it wasn't that I didn't trust you or anything, but... my boys... The apartment was really the only safety they knew after I broke up with Aizen... They told me after you left to get boxes that they were afraid of here being the same as... _there... _ With Aizen..."

Shunsui nodded in understanding. He reached up and stroked Jyuushiro's chin with his thumb. "They've stayed with me several times; surely they know that I'm different?"

"They do..." Ukitake grabbed the hand that was now gently rubbing circles on his cheek. "...But Aizen... He always had his friends over... The boys saw some pretty horrible things... They... never actually experienced anything, but... witnessing is still enough for children their ages."

"I get that completely, Jyuu." Shunsui's voice was pained, hidden beneath gentle tones. His eyes displayed a slight fear in them that Jyuushiro knew with all his heart was out of place. "I hardly ever have anyone over, so it shouldn't be a problem once they settle in. We'll just tell them beforehand and try to keep our guests away from the boys."

Jyuushiro smiled and nodded. "Alright. Thank you for understanding, Shunsui."

Shunsui smiled back. "Now that that's out of the way, can we break in my new couch?"

Jyuushiro blushed and looked away. "N-not now. Maybe... another time..."

"Tomorrow?" Shunsui's voice was hopeful as he prodded further. "Tonight, even? What about two days from now?"

"...When I'm ready." Jyuushiro stood up and moved to explore his new home. It wasn't that he didn't want to have this conversation with Shunsui – he knew they needed to have it eventually – but Shunsui's playful attitude sometimes made him uncomfortable. Though he had never actually been raped, Aizen had still been a very forceful partner and expected sexual favours whenever he wanted them – Jyuushiro was just lucky that despite what he had been forced to do with his hands and mouth, it had only escalated once – which had been quickly interrupted before the worst could happen.

Shunsui just watched him go with a lopsided grin, hanging upside down on the couch. He stared at the roof while he waited for Jyuushiro to return, knowing that the ill man was a rather curious person, much like his beautiful Lisa-chan.

Jyuushiro opened every door in the downstairs corridor, peeking in as he learnt about his surroundings. He found the bathroom and laundry on the left-hand side of the hallway, a few linin closets and small storage areas on the right. Moving upstairs, he found the three bedrooms, a games room and another bathroom.

The kitchen was large, consisting of a fridge, stove, dishwasher and oven with a small bench in the middle which seemed to be where Shunsui prepared food, judging by the chopping board that was lying out.

The living room was again large, with a glass door leading off to the back porch, a flat-screen TV built into the wall, the couch sitting again in the middle of the room with a coffee table in front of it. Bookshelves lined the walls along with portraits and other possessions of Shunsui's.

Shunsui was still lying on the couch by the time Jyuushiro returned. He grinned widely as he sat back up and opened his arms, inviting the smaller man to sit on his lap. He rested his nose in the white hair once the younger did so, feeling so happy with the situation.

"I love you, Jyuu-chan..." Shunsui whispered, squeezing said male. "I love you so fucking much..."

Jyuushiro blushed as he nodded. "...I... I-I l-like... you, too, Shunsui..."

"You're so shy." Shunsui chuckled as he licked a line across the pale flesh of Jyuushiro's neck. "So modest. I love you so much. Let me kiss you, Jyuu."

Jyuushiro didn't have much choice as he was turned around so that he was straddling his partner's hips, his mouth connected with Shunsui's. The kiss was not harsh and desperate like one would expect from Shunsui with all of his sexual advances, but instead gentle, soft and _loving. _

The brunet's tongue poked at soft lips, asking for entrance. Jyuushiro wasn't sure whether or not he was ready for such intimate kissing so soon, but soon decided that if it were to be with anyone, Shunsui would be the best choice. He opened his mouth, allowing the hot muscle to probe his cavern, his tongue fighting back against Shunsui's for dominance.

Shunsui pressed harder against Jyuushiro's face, his hands slowly creeping down the frail man's sides. He pressed their groins together, so lost in his bliss that he had forgotten all about Jyuushiro wanting to wait until he were ready.

Jyuushiro groaned at the feeling of heat pushing against his flaccid member and pulled away from the kiss. He panted as he rested his forehead against Shunsui's, a tiny coat of sweat glistening on his forehead.

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro's voice was soft, a small hint of hoarseness in it, "...please... Wait for me..."

Shunsui nodded, kissing the tip of Jyuushiro's nose in apology. "I will. Forgive me, Jyuu-chan."

"Forgiven." Jyuushiro fell forwards into Shunsui's waiting arms, snuggling in close against him. He smiled up at the brunet, feeling more at peace than he had in a long time.

_**Several hours later~~**_

By the time the twins had been dropped off at Shunsui's home by the bus, they walked into the two-story home to find their father and the brunet both fast asleep on the couch. Shunsui was laying on his back against the brown fabric with Jyuushiro curled up on his chest, his head tucked into the crevice between Kyōraku's neck and shoulder, resting just beneath the older man's chin.

Sogyo nor Koto wanted to wake the men, so they instead headed straight to their bedroom, hoping that things would be different here. Already, things seemed better; Jyuushiro seemed happy to be with Shunsui in such a way – he wasn't hiding from and staying away from Shunsui like he did to Aizen when they were dating.

"Maybe Aizen-sensei was wrong?" Koto whispered to his twin once they were locked safely in Sogyo's bedroom. Shunsui had been kind enough to give them separate rooms. "Kyōraku-san is so nice..."

Sogyo nodded. "I think you're right. Maybe... Aizen-sensei was wrong."

_**The next day~~**_

Aizen smirked softly as he walked into his colleague's office during their lunch hours. He locked the door behind him, knowing it would be bad for anyone to walk in and find them like this – especially for the younger male, who was sleeping with a student.

"Gin, I believe a little 'game' is in order," the brunet spoke, addressing his voice to the silver-haired male who was sitting on the office desk, nursing a very small boy in his arms. The male's eyes were closed, a large grin almost plastered onto his face. "It seems the twins don't believe what I am telling them."

"Yare yare, Aizen-sama." The silver-haired male's grin widened as he kissed his student's forehead. "What're ya gonna do?"

"Well, seeing as the last visit I paid to them didn't have the desired effect, I believe I shall have to visit them again."

The younger male, Gin Ichimaru, chuckled. "And this time?"

"I'll show Jyuushiro exactly what Kyōraku is like. What he's hiding. I'll break them up and make Jyuushiro so ashamed of being drawn in due to lies and deceptions, he'll come crawling back to me. But first things first; I believe I shall have to visit the happy couple, Byakuya and Hisana, and show the Kuchiki that Kyōraku isn't the only one that lives a lie."

"Maa maa." Gin stood up, bringing the student with him. "May I come with ya on this one?"

Aizen nodded. "You may. Are you going to send Hitsugaya-kun back to his friends or are you going to keep him occupied for the whole break again?"

Gin looked down at the boy in his arms. The child's hair was white and spikey, his wide green eyes looking up at Gin. The boy couldn't have been any older than twelve.

"Cute lil' Shiro-chan." Gin leant down and kissed the tiny lips, slipping a hand beneath the boy's shirt. When they broke apart, he looked back up at Aizen. "I believe we'll be here a while longer. Are we gonna visit 'em tonight?"

Aizen nodded again. "I'll pick you up from your home when I am ready."

Gin cheered softly before he waved at Aizen in a dismissive manner. "Bye-bye!"

Aizen smirked as he left, looking forward to working on his plan. No one touched what he _his. No one._


	7. Chapter 7

Dinner was going surprisingly well, considering that neither twin felt comfortable with this situation that had been forced upon them, wanting nothing more than be to be back within the familiar safety of their old home.

"How was school?" Shunsui asked the boys, genuinely interested in their lives; unlike a lot of the other men Jyuushiro had dated while he had the twins in his care, Shunsui truly loved them. "Anything interesting happen?"

"Aizen-sensei was teaching us Language**(1) **today," Sogyo said as he poked at his potato with his fork. "He said Koto and I need to improve our grammar when we write."

"Can I help?" Shunsui grinned brightly as he grabbed his cup of sake. He took a gulp before he spoke again. "I was really good in school; I can help you boys with anything."

Sogyo and Koto glanced at each other with unsure faces before Koto spoke. "...Maybe we should just learn it ourselves..."

"Nonsense!" Shunsui exclaimed. "Please? I really want to help."

Jyuushiro looked up from where he had been cutting his meat into pieces. He smiled at Shunsui before he looked at his children. "It will be best to let him help so that you understand what you are doing and don't fall behind."

"Exactly." Shunsui nodded. "I just want to spend some time with you both now that I'm with your father."

The twins sighed before they nodded, knowing that Shunsui would not change his mind. Shunsui cheered before he instructed the boys to meet him in the study that was just beside the dining room once they were ready.

Jyuushiro looked at his boyfriend with a small smile on his face. "Thank you for doing this, Shunsui. I know you're trying so hard to make the effort with them, and I really appreciate it. I know you wouldn't offer your time like that for just anyone."

Shunsui leant over and wrapped Jyuushiro in his arms. "My dear Jyuu-chan, you of all people should know just how lazy I am. I'm doing this because I love both you and the boys and I want to be a part of your lives in any way that I can, even if it means I can't just lay on the roof and drink my sake."

Jyuushiro laughed softly as he pushed his plate away. He and Shunsui had prepared the roast together, Shunsui not wanting Jyuushiro to cook because it was _his _house, and Jyuushiro not wanting to be there and do nothing in return.

"I'm finished my dinner, Shunsui," Jyuushiro said in his soft voice. "May I be excused?"

"You don't have to ask, love." Shunsui waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "This is your home now, too, and if you want to leave the dinner table for whatever reason, you can."

Jyuushiro smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Shunsui. I would like to change into my pyjamas and relax on the living room for a while."

"Of course, but if you're changing clothes, I would love it if you let me watch." Shunsui winked at his partner with a large grin on his face.

Ukitake blushed and shook his head. "No, Shunsui; I'm not like that. When we've moved further in our relationship. I don't want to feel like a – you know... The _s-_word..."

Shunsui tutted. "Ah, but you're nothing like that, Jyuu. You're so sweet and sensitive and I know you'd never give your body to someone who you didn't love. It's just us, and we're in a relationship now and I love you for more than just your body or what you could give me."

Jyuushiro smiled weakly before he shook his head again. "I know, Shunsui, but I just won't do things like that so soon for anyone."

Shunsui sighed dramatically before he smiled back. "If that's how you feel, I will never force you, Jyuu-chan."

"Thank you, Shunsui."

Kyōraku and the twins watched as the white-haired man left the dining room, exiting through the kitchen that was to the left of them. The brunet glanced the kids before he shrugged.

"Would you guys like to be excused, too?" He chuckled when they nodded. "Alright, then. Don't forget to meet me in the study, okay?"

The boys nodded again before they scampered away, leaving Shunsui on his own. The smile that was on Shunsui's face quickly dropped once he was alone, replaced by a large frown.

Shunsui sighed before he dropped his knife onto the plate and stood up, gathering everyone's dishes. He wasn't happy about being left alone like that, but he couldn't complain; he didn't want to control their lives like _his _had been controlled. It would make him feel too much like his father. Feeling like the man who had singlehandedly ruined both his and his mother's lives devastated him to no end, and he did everything he could to avoid the feeling of utmost failure.

"Still, it could have been nice for them to at least wait for me to finish eating..." Shunsui mumbled to himself as he moved to the sink with the plates in hand. "I just don't want them to feel as if I want to run their lives..."

The thought of talking to Jyuushiro about how he felt crossed Shunsui's mind but was quickly shoved to the back of his head as a feeling of fear overcame him; what if Jyuushiro didn't want to be with him after hearing about what he had grown up with? What if Jyuushiro thought he was too needy?

Shunsui didn't want to be alone again. He would give _anything _to be able to keep Jyuushiro and the twins there with him forever, but he was almost certain that if he told Jyuushiro his feelings so soon, it would end badly.

Kyōraku remembered when he had told Lisa about this; the woman had been understanding and worked with him to avoid making mistakes, but she had only found out because Shunsui had eventually snapped after several months, yelling at her and telling her exactly how he felt before he broke down into tears.

Jyuushiro might not be as understanding as Lisa. He might not be as caring or willing to work around the brunet's issues, and those thoughts scared Shunsui more than anything.

Fighting back the overwhelming feelings of loneliness, pain, despair and a bit of anger, Shunsui focused on cleaning the dishes that had been used, not wanting to mess up his last chance at love. He forced himself to wear his usual mask as he 'cheerfully' helped the twins with their schoolwork and pretended nothing was wrong as he and Jyuushiro reclined on the couch together, watching the TV once the twins were asleep, and Shunsui was almost sure he was coming close to the point where he would be able to leave behind his negative emotions and instead feel happy again. But all that changed as they were getting ready for bed.

Shunsui pulled the black shirt he had been wearing off and tossed it into the corner of the room before he reached down to his belt. Jyuushiro blushed scarlet and quickly excused himself from the room while Kyōraku changed, only fuelling the pain he felt daily.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay and have a free show?" Shunsui teased, knowing it would seem suspicious if he didn't comment on this reaction.

Jyuushiro stuttered for a few seconds before he made a beeline for the bedroom door. He hurried out as if the hounds of Hell were behind him, leaving Shunsui behind.

Shunsui mumbled to himself as he threw his belt away with more force than was necessary, knowing he couldn't take it out on Jyuushiro; the younger man didn't understand and would never have guessed that he was hurting Shunsui.

When Jyuushiro returned, he eyed the bed apprehensively before he looked at Shunsui. "Are you sure it's okay for us to share the bed so soon...?"

Shunsui struggled to contain the words he wanted to shout and instead nodded, a forced, yet seemingly genuine smile on his face. "Of course it's okay. We can even tire each other out before we sleep if that's what you need."

Jyuushiro scowled as his face reddened again. He shook his head, not dignifying the comment with an answer. He pulled back the black comforter and climbed in, never having been in such a big bed before. He watched in embarrassment as Shunsui climbed in next to him, and he squeaked when the brunet pulled him against his chest.

"Let's sleep, okay?" Shunsui breathed into the smaller man's ear, resting his bare chest against the blue fabric of Jyuushiro's sleeping yukata.

Jyuushiro nodded and twisted in Shunsui's hold so that they were looking at each other. He placed a tentative kiss on the red lips, happy to have it returned, before he snuggled in against the warm body and closed his eyes, slipping into oblivion with the welcoming sensation of having his back rubbed slowly.

Shunsui knew better than to keep himself awake with the frustration he was feeling, so he instead made sure he fell asleep as soon as he could, knowing that sleep usually helped with his emotions.

_**Later that night~~**_

Shunsui's home was shrouded in darkness, as silent as expected with everyone sleeping. But it didn't last for long seeing as around midnight, a loud, angry pounding on the front door awoke everyone.

Jyuushiro was groggy as he glanced at the bedroom door, unconsciously pressing closer against Shunsui. Shunsui, however, was quick to get out of the bed and throw his shirt back on before he moved to the bedroom door and left.

Jyuushiro followed behind closely, not knowing what to do other than accompany the brunet in case something bad happened.

Kyōraku was silent as he pulled the front door open, prepared for the worst, but he found instead of an armed robber was his close friend, Byakuya Kuchiki and his wife, standing on his doorstep and looking murderous.

Byakuya didn't say a word as he looked past Shunsui and towards Jyuushiro. The second their eyes locked together, the raven-haired man pushed past Shunsui and over to Jyuushiro, grabbing the collar of the blue yukata when he was close enough.

"B-byakuya-kun..." Jyuushiro stuttered, having known the twenty-six year old for a long time. "Byakuya-kun, what...?"

Shunsui was staring dumbfounded, not having expected this in a million years. Kuchiki's wife, Hisana, moved to stand beside him, watching her husband and the white-haired male with a malicious look on her face.

"You slept with my wife?" Byakuya was angry, his usually stoic appearance broken.

Jyuushiro's eyes widened, knowing now why Byakuya and Hisana had shown up here so late at night like this. But... how...? How did he find out...?

"I..." Jyuushiro gulped, not wanting to confront the younger male like this about something that had so clearly stressed the unemotional man. "...It was a mistake..."

"Damn right it was a mistake," Byakuya hissed. "It was a mistake that _you _are going to _pay _for."

"Byakuya, w-we were _drunk...!" _Jyuushiro all but pleaded. "Please...!"

"She was _eighteen!" _Byakuya shouted, shoving Jyuushiro backwards. "_You are nine years older than we are!"_

Shunsui looked down at Hisana, his grey eyes wide. Jyuushiro had told him how he had gotten the twins' mother pregnant, but he had never mentioned a name. He now understood why; Hisana had been engaged to Byakuya for a very long time, and if word got out that she had slept with someone else, things would be _very _bad. But this... Did Byakuya even _know _his wife had kids...? It wouldn't surprise him if he didn't; Byakuya had been overseas during the pregnancy if he remembered correctly.

"I-I'm so sorry...!" Jyuushiro whispered. "I'm...!"

"No, you are not. You not only took my wife's virginity when she was _engaged _to me, but you took her children, too! How do you think I felt to find out my wife has twins I had _never _known about? We tried _so hard _to have our children, but we cannot. And this...! I want them. If I cannot have my own kids, I deserve to have the children my wife brought into this world."

Jyuushiro gasped at these words, his heart pounding furiously. He couldn't give up his children to _anyone! _He... He would sooner _die _than give them away like this. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head.

"No." Jyuushiro summoned all the strength he could muster as he made the most authoritative voice he could. "You're not having them."

Byakuya shoved Jyuushiro again, knocking the taller male into the wall behind them. Ukitake grunted and closed his eyes as the back of his head collided painfully with the wall.

There were whimpers coming from the living room and, at a glance, two sets of legs disappeared back up the stairwell. Had the twins been watching this entire time...?

"Give them to me," Byakuya hissed again. "Give them back to my wife."

"Byakuya..." Shunsui stepped over and pulled the addressed male away from his partner, anger of his own displaying in his grey eyes, "...she dumped them on Jyuushiro and told him to never contact her again. He didn't even _know _he had kids until _she _showed up on his doorstep demanding he take them. She didn't want them in the first place."

Byakuya's gaze travelled to the brunet, ready to turn on him, but just one glare from Kyōraku silenced him. They stared each other off for a few seconds before Byakuya turned and got his wife, explaining that they were leaving and would take the matter to the court the next day.

Jyuushiro flinched away when Shunsui reached out to touch him and instead ran up the stairs, a loud sob giving away his emotions. Shunsui followed, but he didn't know what he could do; he knew that this would be distressing to his partner, and the boys... They had heard everything, too.

When Shunsui found the younger male sitting on the bed with his face in his hands, Kyōraku couldn't help but hug him tightly.

"Do you want to talk?" Shunsui offered quietly, holding Jyuushiro close. He stayed silent as the smaller man nodded.

"...I..." Jyuushiro started, wiping at his wet eyes. "...I was at a party... I was so lonely... I had broken up with my boyfriend... I just wanted the pain to stop... So I got drunk, and... Hisana approached me... I know it was so wrong of me to have taken advantage of such a young woman like that, but... I couldn't help myself... Shunsui, I don't even _like _females in that way...! The next morning, we wake up and decide we'll pretend it never happened... All that time later, she shows up and expects me to take them... I had just broken up with another boyfriend a few days beforehand, and I felt really depressed, like I would never find someone I could stay with... But I loved those boys so much, Shunsui... I took them immediately... I did everything I could to raise them as normal boys, but... Whatever Hisana had done to them had them so hard to handle... Worse than they are now... But I couldn't give them back... I just couldn't..."

"I know you love them more than anything," Shunsui whispered, rubbing the younger's back. "They're your world, no matter how hard you find taking care of them. But I'll be here with you, and I'll help you look after them. You don't need to give them back to Hisana, and you don't have to do this on your own anymore."

Jyuushiro looked up as a tear slid down his cheek. He smiled. "Thank you, Shunsui..."

Shunsui kissed his boyfriend gently before he manoeuvred the younger back into a lying position. "You go back to sleep and I'll make sure the boys are alright."

Jyuushiro nodded, for once accepting help with his children without argument. Shunsui left and returned not long later with news that both twins had been unsettled by the fighting but now understood that they weren't to blame and everything would be taken care of as soon as possible.

Shunsui lay back down in his bed and pulled the now-sleeping Jyuushiro close to him in a protective manner. With that taken care of, he slipped back into his own sleep, wondering what the morning would bring.

**1 – I rarely reference the language they are learning so that it is up to the reader's choice, seeing as some people prefer the setting in one country over another.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N This is actually a rather dark chapter, so be prepared.**

Despite being as sick as he was, Jyuushiro seemed to never stop eating. He was currently serving up sushi into three bowls, one for him and the other two for his children. Shunsui was still fast asleep and Jyuushiro just didn't have the heart to wake him up.

"Daddy?"

The white-haired adult looked over to the table as Sogyo addressed him. "What is it?"

"...What happened last night...?" Sogyo's voice trembled slightly, indicating to Jyuushiro that he wasn't comfortable speaking about this topic.

"..." Jyuushiro bit his lip as he placed the bowls in front of his kids. He didn't know what to say to the boys – what _could _he say? Say that the mother who had dumped them suddenly wants them back just to spite their father? "...There was just a bit of confusion between us all..."

"I heard them talking about us," Koto whispered, his eyes wide. "Why were they talking about us?"

Jyuushiro really didn't know how he was supposed to have this conversation so that they could understand; what if he messed up and made things worse? What if they got the wrong impression? What if... they thought he didn't want them anymore...?

"...Please, hurry and finish your breakfast, boys..." Jyuushiro's voice was soft. "The bus will be here soon."

When Jyuushiro was avoiding questions, that was when the twins knew something was wrong. They stopped talking and instead picked up their spoons, eating slowly as their minds worked on overdrive about this situation.

When the boys left for the bus just fifteen minutes later, Jyuushiro sighed and headed into the living room. He moved to the glass door that lead to the back porch and unlocked it before he stepped out and moved to the chairs placed around the table.

"I don't know what to do..." Jyuushiro whispered to himself as he looked down at his lap. "...I just can't do anything right... I shouldn't have the boys... I should never have taken them in..."

"Jyuu...?" Shunsui's voice rang out through the cold morning air. The white-haired male looked up to see him moving towards him, a look of concern on his face. He shrugged off the pink kimono he had been using as a blanket and instead wrapped it around Jyuushiro. "It's too cold out here for you, Jyuu. You'll get sick. Come back inside."

Jyuushiro nodded, accepting the kimono that was now warm from the brunet's body heat. He didn't react as strong arms wrapped around him and lips kissed his cheek gently; he instead just allowed himself to be moved back into the house and onto the couch.

"What were you doing out there, Jyuu-chan?" Shunsui frowned as he rubbed the back of his fingers against his boyfriend's pale cheek. "You know better than to play with your health; this is why I won't let you work early morning shifts if it's cold."

"I just needed some time alone..." Jyuushiro mumbled as he laid down, resting his head in the other's lap. "I... I'm not a good parent..."

"That's not true; you're a wonderful parent." Shunsui played with the white strands of hair as he did his best to comfort his partner. "The boys love you and you love them. That's all the matters, Jyuu."

Jyuushiro shook his head in disagreement. "...No, it's not... I can't look after them..."

Shunsui sighed. "Jyuu. Believe me when I say that you could have been a _hell _of a lot worse. Please. Take my word for it."

"...You don't understand..."

"Jyuu... That hurts..." Shunsui frowned and reached up, holding his chest where his heart was. Those words had affected him more than he had let on, making him feel as if his own pain was ignored on purpose.

Jyuushiro didn't reply; he just coughed weakly and groaned as he felt the familiar tightening of his chest.

"Jyuu, look at what you've done..." Shunsui grabbed the remote that was for the heater and clicked it on, trying to warm the house so that his partner didn't get sick. "Cold weather isn't good for you, Jyuu. You stay here while I grab our work uniforms. Try and get as warm as you can. You can skip your morning shift and come around lunchtime once it warms up."

Jyuushiro nodded and pulled the kimono tighter around him. He wasn't alone for very long before Shunsui returned with their black slacks and blue uniform shirts.

The brunet threw the clothing down onto the couch next to Jyuushiro before he helped the younger male into a sitting position. He reached out to try and unbutton Ukitake's sleeping shirt, but pale hands gripped his weakly, pushing them away.

"D-don't..." Jyuushiro whispered, his eyes fearful.

Shunsui felt his heart clench, knowing that Jyuushiro had been through enough to make him anxious about this kind of thing. "I'm not going to hurt you, Jyuu..."

"I know that, but..." Jyuushiro looked down as he whispered again. "...S-sosuke always called me a slut... I don't want him to be right..."

"Jyuushiro, you're _not _a slut, and I'm only helping you change into your work clothes."

"...He's right, though..." Jyuushiro looked as if he were in pain as he continued to speak. "...I-I've been with so many men in my life... I've had so many boyfriends, I've lost count after the eighth one... I've had sex with them all and I've been with Hisana and even prostitutes..."

"But that doesn't mean you're a slut, Jyuu; it just means you were desperate for love." Shunsui gently pried his hands from the smaller ones before he returned to the sleeping shirt and undid the top button. "I could care less about how many people you've been with, Jyuu; all that matters is that you're with _me _now."

Jyuushiro didn't reply; he just held his breath nervously as his sleeping shirt was taken away and replaced instead by his Kyōraku Liquor Store one. He flinched when his pants were removed next, his breathing harsh and unstable as small coughs filled the air.

Shunsui was very gentle as he helped his partner into the slacks. Once the ill male was dressed, he helped Jyuushiro lay back down and tucked his flowery pink kimono around him tightly.

"You are to lie down and keep yourself warm," Shunsui said softly as he ran a hand through the white locks. "I can't have you getting ill when you've only just moved in with me."

Jyuushiro nodded. He opened his mouth when the brunet's lips locked onto his, kissing the other rather passionately. When they pulled away, Shunsui leant down and placed a kiss on the slightly sweaty pale forehead before he started undressing himself, about to throw on his work uniform.

Jyuushiro blushed as he watched the way Shunsui pulled his white sleeping shirt from over his head, wanting to tear his gaze away but being unable to do so. He rolled onto his side and stared at the back of the couch once the pants came off, blushing scarlet red.

Once Shunsui was dressed, he headed into the kitchen and grabbed the packet of tablets that Jyuushiro had depended on for almost his entire life. He grabbed two and a glass of water before he returned to the living room and made sure his partner took them.

Minutes passed by in silence once Jyuushiro had handed the glass back. Shunsui was sitting on the couch, running the hair brush through his thick brown hair, trying to tame it. He wasn't prepared for the knock on the front door, and he looked towards the front entrance with tired eyes, hoping this wouldn't be a repeat of last night.

"Should I get it, Jyuu...?" Shunsui asked. He sighed as Jyuushiro nodded and got off the couch, walking slowly to the door.

When Kyōraku opened the door, he took one look at who was on the other side before he attempted to slam it shut once again. However, his plans for ignoring his 'guest' was ruined as a foot shot out between the door and its frame.

"Oh, please, Kyōraku, you surely can't hate me that much," Aizen's taunting voice floated through the air.

"Fuck off!" Shunsui growled, opening the door wider so that he could glare at the younger male.

"It seems that your night was rather... _eventful," _Aizen said, shoving his way past Shunsui and into the house. "You're in a foul mood today. Did you take it out on Jyuushiro like you did with Nanao and Lisa?"

"I said to fuck off!" Shunsui shouted, clenching his hands into fists. "We don't need this today!"

"You should really get some counselling for your anger issues, Kyōraku. Won't do to treat two little boys like you did your daughter."

Before Shunsui could reply, Aizen made his way towards the living room. The teacher sat down on the chair opposite the couch, looking at Jyuushiro with curious eyes. "Is weak little Jyuushiro sick again?"

Jyuushiro frowned and looked away, not wanting to answer that question. He bit his lip when the other male started talking again.

"It'll be interesting to hear what your children have to tell me today, Jyuushiro. They always seem to fill me in on the most delicious of news."

"Get out of my house!" Shunsui had arrived by Jyuushiro's side and was standing in front of him protectively. "I swear to God...!"

"Come on, Kyōraku; hit me. You know you want to. How long has it been since you last hit someone you supposedly loved?"

Shunsui was quivering, but Jyuushiro didn't know why. He had a feeling it was from anger, but still...

"I won't hit Jyuushiro..." Shunsui snarled, his eyes filled with rage. "You don't know _anything..."_

"Jyuushiro, did you know you're dating an abusive male?" Aizen's smirk widened when Jyuushiro's mouth parted in silent shock. "You should have seen what he did to Lisa and Nanao."

"_That..._" a single tear slipped down Shunsui's cheek, "...was _not _my fault..."

"So it's_ their _fault you hit them? Really, Kyōraku; you can't _truly _believe that. But then again, the way your mother spoiled you, I'm not surprised you turned out this way."

"Leave her out of this..." Shunsui whispered.

"Did you ever tell Jyuushiro what your family was like?" Aizen's eyes glinted in sick amusement the more he riled Shunsui up. "Surely you'd have told him all about your wonderful relationship with your father."

"Just shut up!" Shunsui roared. He grabbed the closest thing to him, which was the remote for the heater, and threw it at the intruder. "Just shut the fuck up!"

"I'm actually not surprised, though; sluts do tend to attract other sluts. No wonder you just couldn't keep away from my beautiful Jyuushiro. With all the men he's been fucked by, it's no wonder you want him."

Jyuushiro bit his lip and looked at Shunsui. He didn't understand any of this. "...Shunsui...? What's he talking about...?"

"It's nothing, Jyuushiro..." Shunsui struggled to keep his temper in check, not wanting to upset his partner in any way. "Don't listen to a word he says."

"Don't keep him in the dark, Kyōraku," Aizen said, disapproval in his voice. "Surely he'll need to understand what he's done wrong when you beat the shit out of him."

"Shut up." Shunsui had not felt this angry in a long time. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and the one thing that stopped him from killing Aizen then and there was the fact that he didn't want Jyuushiro to see him when he lost it.

"You know Kyōraku lost his virginity to his father, Jyuushiro?" Aizen continued on as if they were discussing the weather. "Oh, yes. It's true. He let his father fuck him again and again and again."

"That's not true..." Shunsui muttered. "...I... I didn't want it..."

"Yes, you did. Don't lie, Kyōraku. You let him beat you and your mother and control you right down to the very core. You couldn't stop him, could you? Or did you _not _want to stop him? And as for beating your own daughter and girlfriend... He has so much control over you, you'll lose it at the mere thought of him and take your pathetic problems out on those dearest to you."

Jyuushiro didn't know what to think. Was Aizen... telling the truth...?

"Just... go..." Shunsui turned around and headed towards the stairs, his shoulders shaking as he went. "...Leave..."

Aizen smirked and turned back to Jyuushiro. "He's hidden so much from you, Jyuushiro. Unlike me. You know I'm always truthful when it comes to you. Why don't you come back and live with me? He'll beat you all the time and bring you down if you stay here with him."

Jyuushiro wanted to say that Aizen did all those things and worse himself, but he knew if he did that, he would get hurt. Instead, he could only pretend he was considering the offer in hopes that the brunet would leave them alone. "...I'll think about it..."

Aizen smirked. "Good, good. I want your decision by tonight, Jyuushiro."

Jyuushiro watched as Aizen left the house, and his heart went out to Shunsui. He stood up, pulling the pink kimono into his arms as he crept up the stairs, hoping that Shunsui was okay. It was true that the things Aizen had said made him uncomfortable, but that was _Aizen, _and he was known for troublemaking.

When the white-haired male knocked on the bedroom door, he received no answer. He pushed it open slowly and peeked in, finding Shunsui sitting on the bed, crying into his knees. Jyuushiro made his way over, hoping that he could be of some use. He reached out, ready to put his hand on the older male's shoulder.

"Shunsui...?" Jyuushiro whispered. "...Are you o-"

"Leave me alone, Jyuushiro!" Shunsui snapped, his grey eyes turning to fix on the weaker male with a deep hatred in them. "Just leave me alone!"

Jyuushiro recoiled and looked down at his feet. He was silent for a few seconds before he nodded. He reached out, ready to drop the kimono by Shunsui's side. "...I'll just leave this h-"

"Jyuushiro!" Shunsui shouted as he raised his hand as if he were going to hit the younger man. "Jyuushiro, fuck off!"

Ukitake's eyes widened as he shuffled backwards before he left the room with haste, closing the door behind him.

Shunsui just cried harder, knowing what he had done but having been unable to stop himself; if there was one thing Aizen had been right about, it was that his father had more than enough control over him.

Jyuushiro curled up on the couch, not sure on what to do. Was it really safe for him to be here with Shunsui after all...? Was Shunsui really as abusive as Aizen had claimed...? The brunet had raised a hand against him and shouted at him, but... would Kyōraku really hit him...?

What felt like forever had passed as Jyuushiro was still on the couch, though he was now sitting as he stared down at the ground. He flinched as arms wrapped around him and pulled him against a strong chest, but he didn't react, worried that Shunsui was still in a bad mood.

"I'm so sorry, love..." Shunsui whispered as he rested his face against white hair. A single tear dripped down his cheek as he held the younger tighter. "...I'm so sorry... I-I... I shouldn't have gotten mad at you like that... You didn't do anything wrong..."

"...You scared me, Shunsui..." Jyuushiro whispered back, his body tense. "...I... I didn't know what to think after Aizen said those things... And then... you went to hit me..."

"Jyuushiro... I love you so much... What Aizen said were hyperboles... I never beat Nanao or Lisa... I might have gotten stressed and yelled at them a few times, but I've never beaten them..."

"...You have to tell me the truth..." Jyuushiro whispered as he turned around in Shunsui's arms. "...I have children, Shunsui... You have to be honest with me... Did you ever hit Nanao...?"

"..." Shunsui was silent for a long time before he sobbed. "...Yes... I-I... I don't know what came over me, Jyuu... But she just got me so angry... I slapped her face, and... every day I hate myself more and more for that... I have_ never _stopped trying to make it up to her..."

"...Shunsui... If you ever hit my kids... I'll have to leave you..."

"I understand, Jyuushiro..." Shunsui whispered. "I won't hurt them; I promise..."

Jyuushiro nodded, resting his head on the sturdy chest. "...I know you'll do your best, Shunsui... I-I know you..."

_No, you don't, Jyuushiro..._ Shunsui thought to himself as he held his partner closer to him. _You don't know the first thing about me..._


	9. Chapter 9

**There is minor ShunUki in this chapter, as well as hints towards GinHitsu and a bit of violence towards the end. If any of this makes you uncomfortable, feel free to skip it.**

Sogyo had always wondered about the boy with spiky white hair who clung to their assistant teacher all the time. The boy was moody and didn't seem to like anyone other than Aizen-sensei and the silver-haired assistant near him. Currently, the older twin was watching as the boy climbed up onto the teacher's lap during their lunchbreak without having even touched his food.

"Hitsugaya-san is weird," Koto whispered to his brother as they both watched the way a large hand ran through white hair. "And Ichimaru-senpai is weird, too. Why is he the only teacher who supervises us during lunch?"

"I don't know," Sogyo whispered back. They both quickly diverted their gaze once the silver-haired man seemed to look at them – but one could never be too sure as he was never seen around the school with his eyes open. "But remember when he always came over to Aizen-sensei's home when we still lived there? Hitsugaya-san always came with him."

"Now, now, boys; don't talk about others like this."

The twins jumped as Aizen's smooth voice rang through the air. They spun around and faced the older man with wide eyes, stuttering apologies wildly.

Aizen just chuckled and reached down to pet the boys on the heads. "Are you wondering why Hitsugaya-kun always seems to be with Gin?"

The twins nodded. "Y-yes, s-sensei..."

"Well, that's because Hitsugaya-kun doesn't really have a family," Aizen explained, his plan ticking away in his head as he spoke. "His parents gave him up when he was very young and he lives with his grandmother, but she is too old to look after him. And Gin. He _loves _little boys, so he gives Hitsugaya-kun the _love _he deserves."

The twins looked at each other, neither boy understanding what Aizen was truly talking about but yet knowing that something wasn't right about this situation; teachers weren't really supposed to be this close with their students, were they?

"You know who would love to hear about Gin's generosity, boys?" Aizen couldn't help but smirk. "Kyōraku would just _love _to hear about Gin's relationship with Hitsugaya-kun. He'll be _thrilled _to know that other people out there take care of little boys just like his father took care of him."

Koto bit his lip as he looked down at his apple. "...I..."

"Kyōraku has never personally met Gin, of course, but he knows that Gin is my best friend, so he will know who you are talking about." Aizen was so proud of the trouble he was causing; he had started a fight between Jyuushiro and Hisana over the children and, once they were taken back into their mother's care, that would be two people out of the way. And now that a rift should have formed between Jyuushiro and Shunsui, it shouldn't take much more effort to get Kyōraku out of the picture. And once Shunsui heard this news and reacted... Well, Aizen would be sorry that he would not see the results.

"Okay." Sogyo smiled, trusting Aizen. Aizen knew everything, so he was sure to know what to do about this situation. "I'll tell him tonight."

"You'll be sure to tell me about how _happy _he'll be, right?"

The twins nodded. "Of course, Sensei."

Aizen nodded. "Now; about last night; how was your first night living with Kyōraku?"

"He helped us with our homework," Koto said. "He really wanted to help. It was okay, but we went to bed early."

"Did you hear any noises coming from their bedroom?" Aizen's eyes narrowed at this thought; how _dare _that slut defile _his _Jyuushiro...?

"Noises?" Sogyo frowned. "Like what?"

"Like moans or gasps. Maybe Jyuushiro crying out." The brunet couldn't help but feel his pants becoming tighter as he remembered the way Jyuushiro acted as he was caught in the throes of passion.

"Oh... N-no, we didn't..." Koto whispered; he remembered his father making those kinds of noises back when they lived with Aizen, and they were usually followed by crying soon after they stopped.

"Very good." Aizen nodded in contentment before he left the twins and made his way over to Gin.

The brunet whispered something into his friend's ear before the silver-haired man's trademark grin widened and he nodded. Ichimaru got to his feet, carrying the boy as he followed behind Aizen in the direction of their offices.

"I wonder what they're gonna do?" Sogyo said, more to himself than his brother. "They always leave the class together. Have you noticed, Koto?"

Koto nodded. "And when they come back, they look the same as they did when Ichimaru-senpai came over to Aizen's house and they went into the bedroom together for a while."

As the twins discussed what could have been the reason for Aizen and Ichimaru's disappearances during class, they soon found themselves coming to the conclusion that whatever the two teachers did together in Aizen's bedroom, they most definitely were doing the same thing in their offices – with their classmate.

_**Back at Shunsui's home~~**_

Jyuushiro knew Shunsui wasn't up to doing anything after Aizen's visit, so he had driven out to the store and placed a notice on the door saying that they were closed for the day due to unforeseen circumstances.

The two were currently lying in the bed together, just cuddling while Shunsui whispered to the younger male every now and then.

"I love you..." Shunsui's whisper broke the silence of the room, his arms tightening around the white-haired male. "I love you with all my heart... I never want to hurt you, Jyuu..."

Jyuushiro's head was resting against his partner's strong chest, his fingers entwined with Shunsui's. He truly believed Shunsui's words, knowing that despite what the brunet says or does at times, it would never be his fault because of the things he's had to go through.

"Will you tell me you love me, too, Jyuu?" Shunsui's voice sounded hopeful as he squeezed the hand in his. "Please?"

Jyuushiro wanted to say no, feeling that it was too early for him to say such things, but it had taken a visit from Aizen to understand why Shunsui did the things he did; the brunet was trying to block out pain and convince himself that there was nothing wrong with him. Kyōraku tried to shove his monsters to the back of his mind by trying to have sex with Jyuushiro and hear affectionate words from his partner. Jyuushiro couldn't blame him for this.

"...I..." Jyuushiro lifted his head and placed his lips over Shunsui's, opening his mouth and allowing the hot muscle to explore him.

Ukitake groaned as he sat up and straddled his partner's waist, trying to deepen the kiss as much as he could. His hips rocked back and forth, rubbing his groin against Shunsui's, each male moaning at the contact.

"J-jyuu..." Shunsui moaned as his hands reached out and rested on the frail hips. He held them as the smaller man brought him pleasure he had not felt since he and Lisa had broken up. "...A-ahh..."

Jyuushiro continued to rock their hips together until the pleasure became too much for him. He scrunched his eyes closed as he felt his climax hitting him with more ferocity than he had ever had before during this kind of sexual act. He cried out Shunsui's name before he collapsed on top of the older male, panting heavily.

Shunsui reached between their bodies and rubbed himself until he, too, had hit the peak in his pleasure. He then wrapped his arms around the fragile man, holding him closer than ever.

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro whispered as he tilted his head to kiss the brunet one last time. "...Shunsui, I love you..."

A single tear dripped down Shunsui's cheek at these words as one hand came up to cup Jyuushiro's face and the other hand tugged him closer. His voice was weak, trembling as he struggled to withhold his emotions. "...T-thank you..."

Jyuushiro smiled and curled up on top of Shunsui's body, enjoying their proximity. He wasn't really sure why he had initiated sexual contact like that, but he didn't regret it; Shunsui was so good to him and put up with so much, it was the least he could do. He was just glad that he had made his boyfriend happy.

Shunsui's eyes had slipped closed and he was already asleep, his arms holding Jyuushiro against him protectively. His dreams were pleasant, unlike the nightmares he had so often.

Jyuushiro, though he didn't want to go back to sleep, stayed with Shunsui for all that time, waiting patiently for him to wake up.

_**Several hours later~~**_

When the twins returned home, they were rather confused to find that both Shunsui and Jyuushiro were home, too; they worked every day and always got home late. They quickly shrugged it off and moved over to Shunsui, wanting to relay the message Aizen had left them.

"Kyōraku-san?" Koto was the first to bring it up, tugging on the brunet's shirt as Shunsui worked in the kitchen. He smiled when grey eyes fixed on him, unaware of the pain he was going to put the man through. "Kyōraku-san, Ichimaru-senpai... He works with Aizen-sensei, and... Aizen-sensei asked for us to tell you that Ichimaru-senpai... umm..."

Sogyo tried his best to relay Aizen's words as they had been said, knowing that Koto hadn't remembered what they were supposed to say. "Aizen-sensei said that Ichimaru-senpai... takes care of little boys like your dad took care of you."

Shunsui's eyes widened as he dropped the plate he had been holding, his body starting to shake as all he could do was replay memories from his childhood over and over again.

Jyuushiro had come running at the sound of plates smashing and was horrified to find Shunsui holding himself as tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Boys, come away..." Jyuushiro was worried about his children; Shunsui had already proven unpredictable at times like this, and he had admitted to having hit his daughter before.

The twins hurried to their father and hid behind him, clinging to the man's work shirt as they watched Shunsui with wide eyes. Jyuushiro leant down and kissed their foreheads before he told them to go upstairs and stay in their rooms until Shunsui calmed down.

Once the boys were gone, Jyuushiro approached his partner slowly, his hands out in front of him. "Shunsui...? I-it's okay..."

"No..." Shunsui whispered as he choked on a sob. "...No..."

"Shunsui, it's me... Please, rela – Shunsui!"

The second Jyuushiro's hand touched the brunet's shoulder, something inside of Shunsui snapped. Kyōraku shoved Jyuushiro away with a loud scream, knocking the man down onto the shards of glass beneath them. His eyes were wild as he kicked out at the pale man, seeing only his father and nothing else.

Jyuushiro cried out as his partner's foot connected with his chest but, even so, he understood; this wasn't the Shunsui who loved him; this was the Shunsui that was fighting for his life against who he believed was one who had hurt him most. He didn't do anything to stop the brunet, not wanting to work him up even more, despite the glass that was cutting his hands and wrists open.

Shunsui came to as he heard Jyuushiro's laboured breathing and coughing seconds later. His eyes widened as he took in the sight, his beautiful Jyuushiro bleeding and bruised with tears slipped down pale cheeks, fighting for air.

"Oh, shit, Jyuu..." Shunsui leant down and picked Jyuushiro up into his arms, carrying out of the kitchen and into the bathroom. He sat the younger down on the toilet seat and searched for bandages and ointment for the man's wounds. "I-I'm so sorry...!"

Shunsui sobbed as he mended to Ukitake's injuries, knowing that he just kept making mistake after mistake when it came to the ones he loved. He apologised every second he spent cleaning the blood away and making sure his partner would be okay, but he knew he needed to get away and re-evaluate what he was doing.

"I... I have to go...!" Shunsui sobbed once he was sure Jyuushiro's injuries had been tended to. Tears dripped down his cheeks as he left, ignoring Jyuushiro's cries for him to come back. He called out as he ran, "Please, don't leave me, Jyuushiro! I love you!"

Shunsui grabbed the car keys from the kitchen bench downstairs and hurried out to the car, not looking back. He needed to see his mother and talk to her about everything; she always knew the best thing for him to do.

_**With Jyuushiro~~**_

Jyuushiro knew that Shunsui didn't mean to hurt him. He could forgive the man for what he had done, being unable to comprehend just how much pain Shunsui was suffering. He winced as he got to his feet, the glass that Kyōraku had pulled out of his body leaving behind cuts and gashes that stung.

In a way, Ukitake was relieved to know that Shunsui had reacted to whatever the twins had done; if the boys told him what they had done to cause such a response, he could avoid it happening in future and Shunsui wouldn't have to suffer like this again.

The only thing left to do was hope that Shunsui would come back home soon so that they could talk about what set the brunet off in hopes that they could avoid situations like this from happening again.


	10. Chapter 10

"He's going to leave me..." Shunsui whispered to his mother as tears fell down his cheeks. His head was resting on the woman's lap as they sat on the couch together, Hana's hand stroking chocolate brown hair in a soothing manner. "He'll hate me..."

"I'm sure he won't," Hana whispered back. She had grown used to her son coming to her in states like this, knowing the full extent of the damage her ex-husband had done. "He seems like a very understanding person. Have you told him yet?"

Shunsui shook his head, feeling as if he were about to throw up. "H-he'll leave..."

"You don't know that, dear." Hana wiped away the tears that stained her son's face, wishing with all of her being that she could go back and change things; it hurt her so much to see her beloved younger son like this, wondering every day if he would take the same way out her older son had to get away from the pain their father had inflicted on them. "You need to tell him because if you just keep things bottled up, you'll grow to resent him if he doesn't understand, and he won't be happy because he'll be walking on egg shells."

"I just..." Shunsui choked on a sob before he continued to talk. "...I don't want him to be disgusted with me..."

"My wonderful son..." Hana's hands reached down and pulled her son into a sitting position, holding him tightly. "My wonderful, charming son... You have a beautiful personality and you care about others. What _he _did to you was _not _your fault, and if someone you love can't see this, they don't deserve to have someone like you in their life. You deserve someone who will understand look past what happened, and see the kind of person you truly are. If he can't do that, than he doesn't deserve you."

"I love him so much, mom..." Shunsui sighed as he returned the embrace, resting his head on the small shoulder. "...I... He's all I have now that Lisa and Nanao are gone... I don't want to lose him..."

"You won't. I promise."

Hana stood up, pulling the younger Kyōraku along with her. She smiled up at her son, being much smaller than he was, and took his hand, leading him out of the house and towards Shunsui's car. Shunsui was silent, knowing that he didn't want to go back and face Jyuushiro just yet, but also knowing that his mother would know the best thing to do; she had always been the one person in his life he told _everything _to.

_**~~Back at Shunsui's home~~**_

Jyuushiro wasn't mad; he truly wasn't. He was a little upset about the ordeal, but he could live with it – he understood what it was like to be in pain. Maybe he hadn't had the kind of life that Shunsui presumably had, but he had still been through his own troubles.

When the front door opened after what felt like hours since Shunsui had left, Ukitake looked over and was rather surprised to find both his partner and Hana walking towards him. He stood up from the couch and closed the distance between them, knowing that from the look on Shunsui's face, he didn't want to be here.

"Shunsui, I promise I'm not mad or anything," Jyuushiro said once they were standing together. He allowed the brunet to grab his bandaged hands and inspect them, hoping that it would bring closure to the distraught male. "I really understand what happened. I'm just sorry I didn't give you space when I should have."

Shunsui shook his head. He croaked, his voice strangled with emotion, "Don't be sorry... I-I shouldn't have hurt you..."

Jyuushiro smiled in a gentle manner as he moved closer, wrapping his arms around Shunsui. He rested his chin on the older male's shoulder, smiling up at Hana. "Shunsui, I love you. Didn't I once tell you all those years ago that if I didn't love you in _some _way, I wouldn't have put up with you?"

"Yeah, but I never tried to hit you..." Shunsui mumbled.

Jyuushiro's hand reached out and found Shunsui's hanging limply by his side. He entwined his fingers with the brunet's, leaning up on his tip-toes to kiss the chapped lips before him. "I _understand, _Shunsui. I wouldn't leave you for _that. _I can look after myself. I told you; as long as you don't mistreat my children, I won't leave you."

Shunsui dared look Jyuushiro in the eyes. He could see the sincerity in the green orbs, and he couldn't help but let his own eyes well with tears. He returned the embrace he was receiving, crushing Ukitake against him as he struggled to hold his emotions back.

"I love you, Jyuu..." Shunsui whispered, not trusting himself to say anything else to the white-haired male.

"I love you, too, Shunsui." Jyuushiro kissed the stubbled cheek, so glad that he had finally decided to give in to Shunsui's advances.

"I'm so glad that this is resolved," Hana said as she reached out and patted both Shunsui and Jyuushiro's heads. "Shun was very worried about this, but I was sure you were a good man, Ukitake-san. Thank you for not proving me wrong."

"Please, call me Jyuushiro." Jyuushiro smiled at the woman as he pulled out of Shunsui's arms and moved towards her, engulfing her in a small hug. "I am just happy that Shunsui is happy."

Hana patted Jyuushiro on the back, smiling brightly at the younger male. "Shunsui has had a very rough past, but I would like for him to tell you so that you understand what upsets him. He finds it difficult to talk about, but I trust he will open up to you; you're a very sweet young man."

Jyuushiro thanked Hana for the compliment before he turned to Shunsui, not sure if the brunet would open up to him or not just yet, but knowing that he had to at least show him that he _cared _about what had to eventually be said.

"Shunsui, we can sit down on the couch and talk," Jyuushiro offered. "If you go make yourself comfortable, I'll put the kettle on. I'll make a tea for myself and bring you a glass of sake."

Shunsui nodded, his eyes distant at these words. He headed silently into the living room as he waited for his partner to return, knowing that it would be a good idea to go over what he wanted to talk about.

Jyuushiro turned to Hana, his warm, welcoming smile still on his face. "Could I get you anything, Mrs. Kyōraku?"

"It's Hana, my dear, and I'll take a tea as well. Thank you, sweetie."

Jyuushiro got to work on his tasks, carrying three cups into the living room just a few minutes later. He handed one glass to Hana and the other to her son before he sat down on the couch beside Shunsui with his tea in hand, sipping slowly.

"Whenever you're ready, Shunsui," Jyuushiro said. "We have all night."

"..." Shunsui fumbled with his cup or a few seconds before he downed the entire content of it.

Jyuushiro couldn't help but smile as he stood up. "I'll go and grab the bottle for you."

The younger male knew he shouldn't encourage drinking when Shunsui was stressed, but he knew that his partner was already an alcoholic and he suspected the reason being that Shunsui already drank to block out pain. When he returned, he poured more sake into the cup Shunsui was holding before he placed it on the coffee table next to him.

Hana was sitting on the chair opposite the couch, sipping at her tea as she waited for her son to begin speaking. She wanted to be with Shunsui while he spoke, knowing that her presence would usually be enough to calm him down if he got too worked up.

"When I was little..." Shunsui begun before taking another large swig of his sake, "...when I was little, I hated being at home..."

Jyuushiro glanced towards the stairs, hoping that neither of his boys had woken up; he knew that Shunsui was only speaking about this because he _loved _and _trusted _Jyuushiro enough for him to _know _about something that had clearly shaped him into who he was today. He nodded, not wanting to speak in case he said the wrong thing or discouraged Shunsui from saying what he really wanted to say.

"...I hated school just as much," Shunsui continued on in a quiet voice, stopping every now and then for a drink. "But school was better than being at home. ...My teachers always wondered why I never left the school after classes had finished; why they had to call my mother to come and get me every day... But more than that, they wondered why I always had bruises and cuts and never seemed to want anyone to touch me..."

Shunsui sighed as he clenched his fists, fighting desperately against the tidal wave of tears that threatened to overwhelm him. "...My older brother was the only friend I had, but... He killed himself when I was a teenager... And my dad... he was the reason for that..."

Jyuushiro looked down at his lap, his heart going out to his best friend. Though he had personally never lost someone that way, he could imagine how it would be if he were to lose his children like that. He'd probably follow after them from heartbreak.

"My dad hated me, but he loved Sora..." Shunsui rubbed at his eyes, gathering beads of tears as he did so. "He never hurt Sora; he let Sora do whatever he wanted. And Sora _hated _it. He knew I hated being second, and no matter how much he brought it up with our dad... things never changed... Even now, I... I-I can't _stand _being second...! It makes me remember how I was never good enough... no matter what I did..."

Jyuushiro sidled over on the couch, resting his head on the brunet's shoulder. He took the bigger hand in his, squeezing it so that Shunsui knew he had someone there for him.

"...That fucker treated my mom and me like _shit, _Jyuu..." Shunsui whispered. "He bashed my mom all the time and treated me even worse, knowing that because I was a boy, I could take more... He... He'd rape me all the time... He'd tell me just how worthless I was, how much he hated me... He broke me down emotionally and messed my mind up, and yet... Sora was always perfect.

"My teachers always wondered why I never did anything at school, Jyuu. I was always sleeping in my classes and if I was awake, I just played with the paper or drew. I couldn't tell them that my dad kept me awake at night, _fucking _me into hysterics. I couldn't tell them that I was too scared to do my work in case I screwed up and got beaten. But they never questioned me; they thought I did my work at home. Truth is, I never once wrote a single thing down in all my years; I just listened to what the teachers and students spoke about."

Jyuushiro shook his head, unable to understand how much pain Shunsui must be in. He cuddled closer, feeling strong arms encasing him and pulling him closer.

"...That's why I'm the way I am..." Shunsui whispered. He put his chin on his partner's head as he sighed. "...I... I'm truly sorry for how uncomfortable I always made you feel, but... I just couldn't help myself... All those sexual advances... It was all I knew..."

Jyuushiro understood – he truly did. After going through what Shunsui had, the brunet probably didn't know _how _to ask someone out, or what was acceptable behaviour in circumstances like when Shunsui was Jyuushiro's best friend and boss and nothing more. Kyōraku had always been forceful when it came to things like sex – at least in Jyuushiro's experience – but after hearing what his father did to him... It all made sense. _Everything _made sense.

"I get it now," Jyuushiro whispered softly. He kissed Shunsui's cheek again as he curled up onto the brunet's lap. "I didn't know any of this, but I feel like I now know what might upset you. I'll do my best to keep you happy, Shunsui."

A single tear dripped down Shunsui's cheek as he pulled Jyuushiro into a bear hug. He didn't know what to say, so he hoped that Jyuushiro would understand how grateful he was for the younger male to still be here in his arms; he had been half-expecting Ukitake to leave after hearing his story.

Hana stood up and put her hand on Shunsui's shoulder. She smiled down at him as she blinked back tears. "You truly have found a gem, so look after him, my beautiful boy."

Shunsui nodded as he rubbed his cheek against his partner's. "I will, mom. Thank you."

"I'm going to go back home now, so you two take care, okay?" Hana smiled as she leant down and kissed Shunsui's cheek. She placed a smaller one on Jyuushiro's pale cheek, too, a warm smile waiting for him when she pulled away. "Jyuushiro, you are a part of my family now, so if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

Jyuushiro nodded, not knowing what to say; this woman hardly knew him and yet, she was already welcoming him into her family.

Hana left a few seconds later, soft humming in her wake. Shunsui just curled himself around his partner, pulling them both into a laying position on the couch.

"I want to sleep here with you tonight, Jyuu-chan," Shunsui said as he repositioned himself so that he was half draped over the frail Ukitake. "I want us to be close tonight."

Jyuushiro chuckled, relaxing into the safe embrace he was becoming so familiar with. "Maybe we should get a blanket or change into pyjamas first, Shunsui."

"Nah~" Shunsui kissed Jyuushiro's cheek in protest. "We're fine. I'll keep you warm, love."

Jyuushiro chuckled again as he closed his eyes, finding himself lulled to sleep by the soothing scent of sake and sakura petals that was Shunsui. "Goodnight, Shunsui."

"Goodnight, Jyuu."

Within seconds, both males were fast asleep, safety and happiness radiating from them.


	11. Chapter 11

When Jyuushiro and Shunsui awoke early the next morning, the first thing they did was wake the twins up and get them ready for school. Neither male truly wanted to send them – they never did – but they knew that school was important and there wasn't another school they could send the twins to in the area.

Once Koto and Sogyo were on the bus to school, Shunsui got ready for work as he told Jyuushiro to stay home.

"You've worked so hard and things are shitty for you, so you're taking annual leave, Jyuushiro," Shunsui spoke in the stern tone that left no room for argument. "You have _months _stacked up that you've never used."

Ukitake sighed as he nodded, knowing there was no point in arguing. "Alright... I won't know what to do, though..."

"Go shopping or something," Shunsui teased slightly as he cupped the pale face in his hands, hovering his face close to Jyuushiro's. "As long as you're happy; it's all that matters to me."

Jyuushiro's lips curled into a smile as he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against Shunsui's. He curled against the warm body, sighing happily as arms wrapped around him.

"I would like to buy some plants for around the house," Jyuushiro said softly as he grabbed his partner's hand. He blushed as he revealed one of his interests, "I like plants and gardening, and things like that."

Shunsui's smile wasn't judgemental at all as he kissed the younger's cheek. "If that's what you want, go right ahead and do it, Jyuu. I should get going. I'll see you tonight. Love you."

"Love you, too." Jyuushiro kissed the stubbly cheek as he stepped back, giving Shunsui room to leave.

Jyuushiro's smile dropped as he watched his partner walk out of the house, not used to being home by himself; he very rarely stayed home from work and, if he did, it was usually to stay with his children because they were ill.

The white-haired male sighed as he figured he might as well leave now and get his shopping done before he got so bored he didn't _want _to do anything other than sleep. He grabbed his keys from the kitchen bench and headed out to his car, deciding what kind of plants he would get as he drove.

When Ukitake returned back home a few hours later with a few bonsai plants on the backseat, he stopped by the mailbox to grab the letters he saw. He walked into the house, placing the ones addressed to Shunsui on the coffee table as he glanced at one with both his and Kyōraku's names on it.

The white-haired man opened the envelope, worried about what lay inside, and his heart shattered to find the court summoning inside. He knew that Hisana and Byakuya wouldn't have lied about taking the matter to court, but he didn't want to believe that they would have done it; the thought of not having his kids... It made him want to cry.

Jyuushiro clutched the letter to his chest as he wiped at his eyes. He tugged the thick coat he was wearing tighter around him, trying to fight off the chill, before he moved to the couch and sat down. He didn't know how he could tell Shunsui that they were expected to appear in court next week to fight for custody of the twins; how would the brunet take it? Would he... care...?

Jyuushiro shook his head; of _course _Shunsui would care – he _loved _those kids! But... after hearing what he had just last night, would it be something Kyōraku could do _mentally...?_

"Shunsui, I need you..." Jyuushiro whimpered as he felt a break down coming on. He curled up into a ball on the couch and trembled as he tried his hardest to keep his emotions inside. He almost didn't hear the knock on the door, but he heard the familiar voice calling out for him as the visitor let themselves inside.

Jyuushiro froze as he heard Gin Ichimaru, not knowing what to do. He and Gin had never gotten along. Ukitake was honestly afraid of him, and there was a part deep inside of him that resented the silver-haired man for always having slept with Aizen even though it was _he _who had been with the brunet in terms of relationships.

"Ukitake-san, Aizen-sama said I should visit ya." Gin's voice was mocking, thick with amusement. "He said yer datin' again."

Jyuushiro bit his lip as a familiar face stepped into the living room, the ever-present grin present beneath closed eyelids. Clinging to his shirt was that same boy who always seemed to accompany Gin to Aizen's home when they had been together. He was sure that boy's name was Tōshirō; said child had never spoken to him, his hand always entwined with Gin's.

Gin noticed the way green eyes lingered on his little friend, and his smirk widened. "Did ya forget little Shiro-chan, Ukitake-san? He certainly remembers ya. He remembers the way Aizen-sama always kicked ya around and treated ya like shit."

Ichimaru's relationship with his student had always worried Jyuushiro. Though he didn't truly know whether or not the man was a paedophile, the boy seemed far too clingy than what should be considered normal; he had noticed how the boy's ice cold demeanour always changed into one of fear whenever one of Aizen's 'friends' approached him, seeking only solace from his teacher.

"G-gin-san..." Jyuushiro's throat became dry as he thought about what the younger male could possibly have been doing with a student. "...I..."

Gin's head tilted innocently as he watched the older male stand up from the couch and put distance between them. "What's wrong, Ukitake-san? Is my presence botherin' ya? I know ya don't really like me."

"I..." Jyuushiro shook his head as he got ready to run as far away from Gin as he could. His eyes flicked back and forth as he searched for an exit, but all he could see was the two glass doors leading out to the backyard as Gin was blocking the front exit and the stairwell.

"Don't run from me, Ukitake-san." Gin laughed as he stepped forward, bringing the boy with him. "Maybe Shiro-chan will let ya play with us like he lets Aizen."

Those were the only words Jyuushiro needed to understand that he was dealing with a child abuser here. Despite his natural timid personality, he would _never _stand by and let a kid be harmed. He stepped forward, his eyebrows furrowing as he mustered up all the strength he had to glare at the younger male.

"How..." Jyuushiro bit his lip as he tried to hold back the tears that were gathering in his eyes; after hearing about his partner's childhood, he had become much more sensitive towards these kinds of things. He couldn't fathom how someone could want to hurt such innocent beings in savage manners. "...How could you...?"

Gin laughed as he finished the ill male's sentence. "How could I fuck a child? Quite easily, Ukitake-san."

"I'm calling the police," Jyuushiro muttered. "As soon as I get to a phone, I'm calling them."

"I wouldn't do that if I were ya," Gin sang. "See, yer kids are with Aizen-sama, and if I tell 'im that yer messin' with us, what do ya think will happen ta them?"

"Don't you touch them!" Jyuushiro shouted, his love for his children overcoming any fright he had displayed before. "I swear, if you hurt them...!"

"We don't hurt them as long as ya play by _our _rules." Gin lifted his student into his arms, holding him tight. He nuzzled his cheek against the smaller one, smiling genuinely as tiny arms encircled his neck, holding on tight.

Jyuushiro looked puzzled by these words. So _this _was what it had all been about...? "...What game do you think you're playing...?" he found himself whispering in pain.

"Well, first of all, Ukitake-san, we want ya ta give the twins back ta their mother." Gin's voice was as mocking as ever, but there was still that hint of rare seriousness in it that made Jyuushiro _know _he wasn't playing right now. "Give them back to their mother and never see them again. Forget they even exist. Second of all, ya have ta leave Kyōraku-san. Break his heart if ya have ta, but make sure he hates ya and never wants ta see ya again. Never have anythin' ta do with him again. And third of all, ya must go back ta Aizen-sama."

"Never," Jyuushiro hissed. "_None _of those terms will I agree to!"

Gin shrugged. "Well, then, whatever happens to yer kids or yer partner – or even _ya, _Ukitake-san – will be because ya wouldn't agree ta three simple conditions."

"Leave them out of this!" Jyuushiro shouted again. "They haven't done _anything!"_

"They're in Aizen-sama's way." Gin's grin widened as his right eyelid cracked open, revealing stunning blue orbs. "He wants ya back, Ukitake-san. Ya should know Aizen-sama won't stop until he gets what he wants."

Jyuushiro wrapped his arms around him. He knew that the silver-haired male was right. He also knew that there wasn't a soul in this world that the brunet _wouldn't_ cut down to get what he wanted. Could he really take these chances and put his loved ones in danger...?

"..." Jyuushiro's green eyes met blue ones, a deep pain reflecting in the lighter colour while amusement shone in the darker ones.

"I knew ya'd see it our way." Gin smirked as he placed the boy on the ground, his large hand resting in spiky white hair. "Tōshirō-chan, you'll get to play with Ukitake-san soon."

The boy – Tōshirō – looked up at sent a dirty glare at the oldest male. "Don't touch me," he spoke in a cold tone a boy so young shouldn't possess.

Ukitake paled at the suggestion Gin had just made, knowing that under no circumstance would he engage in such heinous acts with the child. "D-don't worry... I-I won't..."

"Well, my job's done," Gin called as he grabbed Tōshirō's hand in his and turned to leave the house. "Just gotta tell Aizen-sama that he should expect you on his doorstep."

Jyuushiro didn't reply as Gin and Tōshirō exited the house; he instead fell to the ground where he was sitting, crying his heart out. He didn't want to do this to his family, but he couldn't risk anything happening to either of them. He would try and tell Shunsui tonight what had happened and explain why he had to leave, and he would drive his children over to their mother's home before he would leave to stay with his friend, Kisuke, for a few days as he mulled over what was going to happen between him and Aizen.

It was safe to say that, right now, Jyuushiro _hated _his life.

_**~~That night~~**_

Kyōraku knew that Jyuushiro was naturally quiet, but this was odd even for him. The white-haired male had barely spoken a word, sitting on the couch and staring out onto the patio. He was worried, not sure if something had happened while he had been at work or not, but he wasn't sure if he should say anything.

Ukitake was still sitting on the couch when Koto and Sogyo approached him, enveloping him in a tight hug.

"Daddy, we finished cleaning our rooms." Koto beamed up at his father, his eyes shining happily.

Jyuushiro forced a smile as he returned the hug. "Good boys. Did you clean up the rest of the kitchen like Shunsui asked you to? This isn't your home so you can go messing it up like you did with our apartment."

Sogyo nodded. "Yes, daddy. The kitchen is clean, too."

"Good. You can watch TV for an hour and then bed, okay?"

The twins nodded, tightening their hug before they moved to the TV. Koto turned it on while Sogyo searched through the stack of DVDS on the side as he searched for something for them to watch.

Jyuushiro left the living room once his kids took over the couch, wanting to be alone. He knew he had no choice but to try and cut ties now before he abandoned them with their mother.

Shunsui, who had been in the kitchen, saw the way Jyuushiro's long mane of white hair disappeared out onto the patio. He turned the stove off and moved the pot over before he followed he his best friend outside into the cold night air.

Ukitake sat down on the chair by the table, shivering as the night air spiked his illness. He didn't care; he would welcome death right about now. He flinched when Shunsui sat beside him, wishing that the brunet would leave him alone; he wanted desperately to talk about what he had to do, but he couldn't bear the thought of hurting the older male.

"What's wrong, Jyuu?" Shunsui asked, reaching out to put his hand over the pale one sitting on the table. "Did something happen while I was at work?"

Jyuushiro shook his head. "No. Everything's fine."

Shunsui sighed, knowing that he was being lied to. He _couldn't stand _lies, but he didn't want to upset Jyuushiro more than he already was.

"I'm sure something's not," the brunet said gently. "You can talk to me. You know this."

The ill male bit his lip. He wanted the taller male to stop talking about this before he broke down again. He needed to change the subject – now.

"...I..." Jyuushiro couldn't believe he was suggesting this, but here it was. "...I'll let you make love to me tomorrow tonight..."

Shunsui knew that his partner just wanted to avoid the topic, but he understood that he couldn't force Jyuushiro to talk about it if he didn't want to. He nodded, squeezing the hand in his. "...Alright."

The white-haired male smiled weakly up at the older male, just wishing that he could disappear from the earth. He truly didn't want to do this to his boyfriend or his children, but he knew that it was either hurt them himself, or let Aizen hurt them worse than he ever could.

The two spoke for a few minutes more before Shunsui wrapped his arms around the smaller man, knowing that the cold night air was terrible for Jyuushiro.

Ukitake sat back down on the couch, his mind focused solely on the pain he was about to cause his family. He was startled back to reality when his twins pulled themselves onto his lap, talking incessantly about something that was happening tomorrow at school.

Jyuushiro blinked before he spoke again, not sure if he wanted to know what was happening. "What did you say, boys? I'm afraid I zoned out."

"Career's Day!" Sogyo exclaimed, a happy glint in his eye. "You'll come, right? Aizen-sensei would really like for you to be there!"

"Oh..." Jyuushiro's eyes slipped closed as he tried to withhold tears of pain at the mention of the brunet's name. "...When is it...?"

"Tomorrow!" Koto snuggled against Jyuushiro, purring happily as he and his brother embraced their father. "Please come!"

Jyuushiro sighed. He might as well, discuss what was happening with his ex-lover. "...Alright."

The twins cheered happily before they removed themselves from Jyuushiro's presence, returning back to their movie.

Jyuushiro couldn't take it anymore. He stood up, mumbling that he was going to bed, leaving his family behind. He knew that they were worried – it wasn't every day he excused himself to bed in such a depressed mood – but he just wanted relief from what he was feeling.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day found Jyuushiro taking the morning off work so that he could attend his childrens' career day and make them happy. He sighed as he walked through the cold corridors of the school towards where he knew his twins had their class.

The white-haired male shivered, coughing lightly as he wrapped his white coat around him tighter, trying to fight off the chill. He stepped into the classroom five minutes later, closing the door quietly behind him, trying not to draw attention to himself; the other parents knew that he wasn't straight, and it had always drawn negative attention to him.

"How good of you to join us, Jyuushiro."

Ukitake flinched at Aizen's voice. He should have known something like this would happen; now that he was here, the brunet would take any and every chance he had to direct attention to the timid male. Aizen was _never _happy unless he was making someone's life miserable.

"...Yeah..." Jyuushiro muttered, keeping his head down low as he leant against the blackboard, his arms wrapped around him, making him appear smaller than he really was. "...Had a... bad morning..."

Aizen's eyes shone in delight. "Well, next time don't keep us waiting. You missed the first parent."

"Sorry, Aizen-sama..." Jyuushiro's eyes widened as he realised he had addressed his ex-boyfriend by the title that had been beaten into him. He trembled slightly as he heard the mutters around the room, discussing his previous relationship, knowing that every word was spoken in malice.

Aizen just laughed and told the next parent to go up. His eyes were fixated on Jyuushiro and, once the third parent had gone up to discuss their career, he turned his attention to his assistant teacher whom was sitting at one of the desks, his white-haired student perched on his lap.

"Gin, would you mind taking over for a few minutes?" Aizen's voice was soft and calm, as gentle as most people were used to hearing him. "I would like to discuss things with Jyuushiro outside."

Gin gave a knowing smirk as he stood up, holding the boy against him. "My pleasure, Aizen-sensei."

Aizen nodded politely to the younger male before he turned his attention to the ill male. He smiled as he gestured for Jyuushiro to follow him outside, his gentle demeanour leaving no room for the other parents to guess that he was as vicious as a rabid wolf toward Ukitake.

Jyuushiro kept his head hanging low, staring down at the ground beneath him. He flinched when a heavy hand grabbed his shoulder, knowing what was coming. He yelped out, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as he was slammed into the metal lockers behind him, ripping a harsh cough from his throat.

"A-aizen-sama..." Jyuushiro all but pleaded as he wiped a droplet of blood from his lips. He lifted his gaze, his green orbs shining with fear. "...Aizen-sama, please..."

A calloused hand wrapped around the white-haired man's throat, cutting off his air. He whimpered and trembled, bracing himself for the impact that came only seconds later. A large hand connected with his face, knuckles meeting the frail bone that made up Jyuushiro's eye socket.

"Gin told me your reply," Aizen hissed as he leant in close. "When am I expecting you?"

"...In a few days..." Jyuushiro whispered, his voice wavering with fright. He whimpered and tried to pull away, only to push harder against the lockers behind him, as Aizen pressed against him, the full weight of his body feeling as if it were going to crush him.

Aizen had never been one for gentleness, and he had proven to still not have changed as his lips pressed against Ukitake's with fierce force, his hips rubbing against the delicate ones. He smirked as Jyuushiro's hands pushed weakly at him, but he didn't relent, taking exactly what he wanted. His hand connected with the frail man's cheek as Ukitake tried to pull away, knowing exactly how to keep him in place.

"Aizen-sensei~"

The brunet pulled away as Gin's sing-song voice addressed him. He sent a smirk that he knew only Gin would see before he placed it quickly with his gentle smile, placing his hands in the folds of his black kosode.

"Yes, Gin?" Sosuke spoke as if he hadn't just been caught abusing another male outside of a classroom. "May I help you?"

"I believe it is Ukitake-san's turn~" Gin's ever-present mocking made it clear that the silver-haired male had found amusement from this – just like every other time. "Will ya send him back in?"

Aizen nodded. He shoved Jyuushiro harshly towards the classroom before he followed the taller male back inside, his cruel personality disguised once again by one of kindness.

Sogyo and Koto perked up when their dad walked into the middle of the room, but they knew something was wrong when Jyuushiro's voice quivered, his long white bangs hanging down his face, hiding his green eyes.

"...I-I am..." Jyuushiro's shoulder's quivered and he raised a hand to swipe at his face before he spoke again. "...I'm Sogyo and Koto's f-father..."

The other parents were in the background muttering once again at Jyuushiro's frightened and upset exterior. They weren't surprised when the pale man excused himself just a minute later, the tear stains running down the man's cheeks only making room for further discussion. None of them had seen the mark on his face from where he had been hit, but none of them would have cared even if someone _did._

Aizen just smirked. All according to plan.

_**~~Kyōraku Liquor Store~~**_

Shunsui had just finished sweeping around the store by the time Jyuushiro walked in, the man's white coat wrapped tightly around him as the younger's body trembled. He bit his lip and hurried to his partner's side, reaching out and placing his hand on a pale forehead.

"Are you feeling ill, Jyuu-chan?" Shunsui asked. He frowned when he didn't feel the usual temperature associated with his best friend's attacks. His frown only grew when Ukitake shook his head and silently pressed against him, hugging him as if his life depended on it while he buried his face into the brunet's chest.

"Did something happen at the school?" Shunsui asked, knowing that it was more likely than any other scenario; Aizen was a nasty piece of work, and he wouldn't put it behind the brunet to have done something to his precious Ukitake.

Jyuushiro nodded, only pressing harder against the older male as tears leaked down his cheeks. "..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Shunsui offered, leading Jyuushiro behind the registers so that he could sit the white-haired male on one of the boxes of liquor. "I'm here to listen to you if you need me."

"...I can't..." Jyuushiro whispered in a defeated voice, muffled by the shirt he was resting against. "...I... can't..."

Shunsui was certain that this event wasn't isolated; it had to have something to do with whatever happened last night. Something to do with Aizen, surely. Jyuushiro was a strong person, and Sosuke Aizen was usually the only person who could do so much damage to the ill male.

"Is it something to do with Aizen?" Shunsui offered, knowing that sometimes Jyuu just needed a push before he would talk. The addressed male nodded, but he still didn't speak. Shunsui sighed; sometimes it was hard to take care of the younger. "Did he do something to you again?"

Jyuushiro nodded again in silence.

"...Did he hurt you...?" Shunsui felt anger boiling in his chest at the mere thought of what Sosuke could have done to Jyuushiro. He loved his partner so much, and he wanted the smaller man to be as happy as he could. He clenched his fists when he felt, yet again, another nod, this time hesitant. "What did he do?"

Jyuushiro reluctantly raised his head before he brushed away the white strands hiding his right eye. He flinched when Shunsui gasped, and he couldn't help but pull away when a rough hand reached out, a thumb rubbing against the bruise that was forming.

"...I'm so sorry, Jyuu..." Shunsui whispered, feeling as if it were his fault that Jyuushiro had gotten hurt. He should have gone with the skinnier male to make sure that Aizen didn't do anything, but he was thinking about how the other parents would react and treat Ukitake if he had done such a thing. He knew it would only alienate the white-haired male further amongst his fellow parents, and he didn't want to do that. But was that such a bad cost after what Aizen had done due to his absence?

"It's not your fault..." Jyuushiro mumbled. "...You didn't know..."

"I _should _have known he would do something like that..." Shunsui held Jyuushiro tighter within his one-armed embrace, his thumb still rubbing against the damaged flesh.

Ukitake shook his head and pulled away, moving his hair so that it once again cascaded down his face, obscuring his injury. "...Is it noticeable...?"

Shunsui nodded, his heart breaking as he did so. "...Yes... I have some cream for it at home. It might help."

"T-thanks..." Jyuushiro mumbled, his hands twisting in uneasiness.

"You can go home, okay?" Shunsui said. "Take the day off and relax."

Jyuushiro shook his head. "...I-I took yesterday off..."

"I'm your supervisor, Jyuu," Shunsui said, his stern tone once again making an appearance. "I'm telling you to go home." His voice then softened as he reached out and placed his hand on his partner's shoulder. "I know you're upset and scared, and you don't want people to see your eye. I want what's best for you, Jyuu-chan. I don't want to watch you work yourself to death or have to put up with this kind of stress. Go home and _rest._ You need it."

Jyuushiro opened his mouth to argue, but he was quickly cut off by a loud choking cough. Once his breathing was under control, he sighed and nodded. "...Alright..."

Shunsui smiled and leant down, kissing the slightly sweaty forehead. "Thank you. I love you~"

"I love you, too..." Jyuushiro turned and left the store, trying to hold back tears of pain. It had hurt him to say that to his partner while knowing what he was about to do to the brunet, but he couldn't stop himself in time; it was the truth and they _both _knew it.

_**~~Later that night~~**_

Jyuushiro lay in Shunsui's bed, panting heavily as he wiped at his eyes. He and Shunsui had made love for the first time together, and it had only made things harder for Ukitake. He had planned to give himself to the brunet in order to make it easier for them to part, but it just made things harder for them both. Looking at this, Ukitake honestly didn't know what he had expected by doing this.

"Did you enjoy that?" Shunsui murmured into his partner's ear as he pulled the younger against him. His eyes were closed and his voice was soft, slowly slipping into the confines of sleep.

Jyuushiro curled around his partner's body, his head resting on the strong chest. His hands clenched by his chin as he prepared himself for what he was about to do. He didn't want to do this, but he knew he had to break their bond now before he became so in love, he _couldn't _do it.

"...No..." Jyuushiro whispered, fighting back the tears in his eyes. He _couldn't _let Shunsui know what he was doing, or the brunet would get _hurt – worse _than anything the ill male could ever do to him. He winced mentally when Shunsui sat up slowly, turning hurt eyes onto him. "...It was horrible..."

Shunsui bit his lip. He didn't know what to say – what _could _he say...? "...Jyuu-chan, I know it has been a long time for me, but..."

Jyuushiro closed his eyes, willing his emotions to die in that moment. "...You're worse than anyone I've ever had... And I've had _a lot _of people..."

Shunsui didn't understand. This was_ not _his beautiful Jyuushro... "...What are you saying...?"

"...That I never loved you..." Jyuushiro whispered again, trying to keep his voice emotionless. "...I just thought you could be someone to satisfy me... But I've had better from a virgin prostitute who didn't even know how to find my special spot..."

Shunsui reached up with shaking hands and grabbed at his brunet hair. His breathing was unsteady as he struggled to contain his emotions. "...So you just used me...?"

Jyuushiro nodded. "...Yes... I never loved you..."

"..." Shunsui's face scrunched up in pain as a strangled sob made its way past his lips. "...Go..."

Jyuushiro didn't need to be told twice. He climbed out of bed and grabbed his clothing, wincing as his rear throbbed with a familiar feeling. He redressed himself and turned to look at the partner he was betraying unwillingly.

Shunsui glanced at the smaller male, angered to still see Ukitake in his bedroom. "Get the fuck out! Don't come back! I fucking _hate _you!"

Jyuushiro flinched when a lamp was thrown at him, hitting the wall behind him. He left without a word, heading to his boys' separate bedrooms. He gathered them in his arms, holding them close, explaining that they had to leave.

The twins were tired, groggy with sleep, and they didn't question why they were being taken out of the house when they were supposed to be sleeping.

Jyuushiro was silent as he carried his boys down to the car. He put them on the back seat, strapping them in before he got into the driver's seat and drove away, tears running down his cheeks as he stared at Shunsui's home in heartbreak through the rear view mirror.

Ukitake had to be honest; he had been falling for Shunsui – _fast._

_**~~Thirty minutes later~~**_

Jyuushiro cried harder as he held his precious children to his body, waiting for someone to answer the door of the Kuchiki Manor. His boys were still asleep, and he didn't have the heart to wake them and tell them that they would probably never see him again.

The door opened soon after, Byakuya standing in the doorway. He looked tired, as if he had been sleeping before Jyuushiro got here. In actuality, he probably had been; it was nearing midnight.

"May I help you." Byakuya was emotionless, his eyes staring at the children.

Jyuushiro nodded. He tensed as he struggled to hold back a loud sob, stepping closer to the younger male. "...I... I can't take care of them anymore... Please... Let them be with their mother..."

Byakuya was silent for a few seconds before he reached out, taking the kids into his arms. He looked curiously at them for a few seconds before his attention focused back on Jyuushiro.

"T-thank you..." Jyuushiro's knees were weak, almost collapsing to the ground as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "...Please... L-look after them..."

Byakuya nodded. He turned around without another word and kicked the door shut behind him, leaving Ukitake all alone out on the doorstep.

Jyuushiro forced himself back into his car where he cried his heart out for what felt like hours before he drove himself across towns to Karakura and to his friend's home.

The white-haired man once again found himself waiting on a doorstep for the front door to be answered and, when light blond hair poked out of the paper rice doors, grey eyes widened in surprise. A tall, lean male opened the door the entire way, a white sleeping yukata wrapped around his body.

"Ukitake-san, what a surprise," a calm voice spoke, a fan appearing in front of the blond's face. "I haven't seen you in quite a while. Where have you been hiding?"

"Kisuke-kun..." Jyuushiro bit his lip as his arms wrapped around himself, hoping that his friend would help him out. "...Kisuke-kun... I-I need help..."


	13. Chapter 13

Cups of tea usually did wonders for Jyuushiro if he was distressed, but the tea he was currently sipping at as he sat upon his friend's couch did nothing. His friend, Kisuke Urahara, was sitting beside him, frowning as he surveyed the situation; the blond hadn't seen his friend in years, so for Ukitake to come to him in this state...

"It was Aizen, wasn't it?" Kisuke asked, uncertain but remembering that Jyuushiro had shown up on his doorstep several times before in similar states while the white-haired male had still been with the brunet.

Jyuushiro nodded, sniffing as he struggled to contain his emotions. He flinched as a hand grabbed his shoulder, lifting his head to face Kisuke warily.

"I thought you left him." Kisuke wasn't questioning his friend. His frown widened when Jyuushiro nodded. "So what happened?"

"...I was dating Shunsui..." Jyuushiro whispered, trying to explain his situation as best he could, "...but Aizen didn't like it... I couldn't let him hurt my family... I couldn't... But... the thing is... I made Shunsui think I was using him... and that I hated him... but the truth is... I'm so _in love _with him, Kisuke-kun... I've fallen in love with him over the past couple of days that I can't bear the thought of being without him..."

"Then we need to tell him the truth," Kisuke said. "He needs to know."

Jyuushiro shook his head. "If he knows, he'll confront Aizen. And if that happens, Aizen will _hurt _him, Kisuke-kun...!"

"I know what he's like." The blond man's voice was full of hatred. "Don't forget what he did to us."

Jyuushiro sighed. "...I know... Can I... stay here... until I can go back to him...?"

The younger male nodded as he rubbed the frail man's back. "You can stay here, but I'll expect you to help out with the shop. I only ask for you to think about what you're doing. This is _Aizen, _and he treated you like crap. From what I've heard, he's only gotten worse."

"You don't understand..." Jyuushiro whispered, rubbing his eyes. "...I had to give up my _children _to protect them..."

Kisuke's eyes softened at these words. He couldn't understand what his friend was going through, but he knew that the older male was in a very tight spot; if he didn't go back to the brunet, his loved ones would pay the price. In order to protect them, he had to sacrifice his own happiness and suffer cruelty most people couldn't even imagine. There _is _no in between; it was either watch as his family is tortured because of _him, _or take that torment himself.

"...You should try and sleep," Kisuke said softly. "You know where the blankets are."

Ukitake wanted to disagree, but he was too tired. He nodded, standing up to grab a blanket. Kisuke followed him before he turned off in the hallway, entering his own bedroom. The taller male carried a blanket back down to the living room, calling a soft goodnight over his shoulder to his friend. He made his bed quickly and laid down, closing his eyes and hoping for a rest.

The ill man was rather surprised that he was able to fall asleep so quickly, even if his dreams were haunted by nightmares.

_**~~The next morning~~**_

When Jyuushiro awoke, he knew he was going to be stuck on bed rest for the next couple of days; his illness had spiked overnight, leaving him in large amounts of pain, unable to breath, and the consistent coughing of blood had made him weak and dizzy, his head aching in pain. Kisuke had been looking after him, bringing him cups of tea and cleaning up the blood whenever he had time, having a shop to run.

Jyuushiro just curled onto his side, his breathing harsh and constricted. Why couldn't he just die? Then he would finally be out of this pain he had been suffering his entire life.

_**~~With the twins~~**_

When Sogyo and Koto awoke, they were surprised to find themselves on an unfamiliar couch. They blinked sleepily and looked around, not understanding what had happened.

"Sogyo...?" Koto's small voice whimpered as a tiny hand reached up to rub at green orbs. "Sogyo, where are we...?"

Sogyo shook his head, biting his lip as he took in their surroundings. The room they were in was very large and open, furniture spread throughout the room, giving it a very homey feeling. The walls were lined with bookshelves and light filtered in through the many windows that gave a view of the backyard where a pool lay in the middle, surrounded by many large trees and a wooden fence. The backyard was bigger than any other the twins had ever seen. A winding staircase lay behind them, and several doors off to the other sides of the room were closed off, leaving the twins to only wonder what lay behind them.

Koto whimpered as he begun to tremble. Tears leaked down his cheeks as he moved closer to his brother, frightened beyond belief; something must have happened if their dad wasn't with them; Jyuushiro _never _left them alone in unfamiliar houses.

"It's okay, Koto," Sogyo whispered as he wrapped his tiny arms around the younger. "It's okay. I'm sure daddy will be here..."

Before Koto could reply, the sound of footsteps on the stairs made them look up. That same man who had come to their home that night was walking towards them, a blank expression on his face. The twins winced and moved closer together, not knowing what to do; was that man going to hurt them...? Had he kidnapped them...? What had... happened...?

"You are awake."

The boys flinched at the cold, emotionless voice. They twiddled their thumbs, trying to fight back a panic attack; though it was a rare occurrence nowadays, they had been left with an anxiety disorder because of the things their mother had done to them when they lived with her, even if they couldn't remember her.

The man stood by the couch, observing the twins with a slight interest in his eyes. "My name is Byakuya. You may refer to me as Kuchiki-sama. Your mother is my wife, Hisana. Her sister, Rukia, also lives with us. Your father gave custody to us last night."

The twins shook, not understanding what was going on. Had Jyuushiro given them up the same way their mother had in the beginning...?

"Join us for breakfast," the raven-haired male said as he started walking towards one of the doors on the left.

Koto and Sogyo looked at each other warily before they nodded, knowing that they had no other choice. But their mother... They didn't like their mother; she had yelled at them and always hit them for no reason. What if this man was the same...?

"L-let's go..." Sogyo whispered, taking his brother's hand. He knew that he had to the adult in their father's absence and take care of Koto. "...M-maybe... things will be okay..."

Koto stayed close to his brother, clinging to the blue sleeping shirt the older boy wore. He whimpered as they stepped through the same door that Byakuya had, entering a dining room. There were windows all along the walls and a large dining table sat in the middle of the room. Two females sat at the table with Byakuya, and both of them looked just alike.

The younger looking female jumped to her feet, a look of excitement on her face. She turned to Byakuya, a large grin on her face. "Is this them?"

Byakuya nodded as he raised a cup to his lips, sipping at his tea elegantly. "Yes, Rukia."

The girl – Rukia, the twins had learnt – approached the boys, kneeling down to sit with them. She smiled at them, reaching out to pet their heads. "My name is Rukia. What are yours?"

Koto was silent, burying his face into his brother's shirt. Sogyo was the one to answer for them both. "I-I'm Sogyo... This is Koto..."

"Cute." Rukia smiled. "Come and sit down. The cook made seafood for breakfast today. You might like it."

The twins nodded and followed Rukia over to the table. They guessed that the other woman was their mother, and it seemed right from the vague memories they had of her and her cruelty. They bowed their heads and climbed onto the two vacant seats beside Rukia, hoping that she would be kind enough to look after them.

"Hello, boys!" Hisana said cheerfully, reaching out to pet their heads as her sister had done, but the twins were smart enough to know that she wasn't happy at all to see them; she was hitting them too hard as if she just wanted to slap them but knew she couldn't, and the look in her eyes didn't match her tone; her eyes instead displayed abhorrence. "I haven't seen you guys in a long time! How old are you now? Ten? Eleven?"

"...Eight..." Sogyo whispered, feeling a pain in his heart at realising that their mother didn't even know how old they were.

"Very good!" Hisana smiled at the twins, but they had been around enough deception in their lives to know a fake smile when they saw one.

Byakuya either didn't notice anything out of the ordinary or didn't care, as he focused on his breakfast, speaking occasionally to Rukia or Hisana. The twins picked at the food Rukia placed in front of them, wanting nothing more than their father.

Was Jyuushiro ever going to come back for them...?

_**~~Shunsui's home~~**_

Shunsui had not felt this angry and upset in a long time. He had truly loved Jyuushiro with all of his heart, wanting to be the best partner he could for the younger male, but Ukitake had just _used _him. Jyuushiro had not loved him.

The brunet lay in his bed, his body shaking as he cried into his pillow. He didn't want to talk or see anyone; he just wanted to die. He had not loved anyone as much as he had loved Jyuushiro; not even his mother, or Lisa and Nanao.

Hours had passed by, and Shunsui only grew worse. He eventually got out of the bed and moved into the bathroom that connected with his bedroom. He opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed his antidepressants, slipping the packet into his pocket. He then left the bathroom and headed downstairs and into the kitchen where he immediately made way towards his sake cupboard.

Kyōraku grabbed the packet once again, popping the tablets out of the packaging. He took a mouthful of sake and put as many pills into his mouth as he could, swallowing them all. He then repeated the process until he had emptied the packet of antidepressants, moving instead to drink as much sake as he could.

It wasn't until Shunsui felt as he were dead did he remember the way Jyuushiro's eyes had avoided eye contact last night. The brunet knew Ukitake better than the sickly male knew himself, and he _knew _that when Jyuushiro avoided eye contact, he was lying.

Shunsui groaned, realising that he had made a huge mistake. He reached into his pocket and weakly pulled out his phone, dialling the emergency number as fast as he could with fumbling fingers. However, before he could even say a word into the phone, he lost consciousnessness.


	14. Chapter 14

**I researched as best I could for these medical scenes but, as I have never been in these situations before nor could I find much information, they're done to the best of my understanding. If anyone has further knowledge, feel free to correct me.**

"What's the prognosis?"

"We don't know yet. He was seizing in the ambulance. The doctors say he may not make it through the night."

"I'm sorry, Lisa-san."

"...If Nanao hadn't walked in..."

Kisuke glanced over at the sleeping Ukitake on his couch. Jyuushiro had been here for two days already, and he was far from over his recurrent bout of illness. He whispered into the phone, "Do I tell him...?"

Lisa was silent for a few seconds before she replied. "...No. He has enough on his plate. Tell him as soon as we know what is happening for certain."

Kisuke nodded, knowing Lisa couldn't see it. He could tell that Jyuushiro was stirring, and he didn't want the frail man to overhear his conversation. "I'll call you back, Lisa-san. I hope all goes well."

"Thank you." The other line went dead rather quickly, leaving Kisuke to move to Jyuushiro's side.

"How do you feel?" Kisuke asked as he placed a hand on Jyuushiro's shoulder, helping him into a sitting position.

Ukitake's breathing was harsh, laboured, and the small moans the man made gave no room for questions as to the amount of pain he was feeling. "...K-kisuke... H-hurts..."

Kisuke winced as ferocious coughs forced their way out of Jyuushiro's throat, spilling fresh blood down the male's chin and staining the white blanket he was curled under. He reached out and grabbed the glass of water sitting on the coffee table, raising it to the weak male's mouth.

"Drink, Ukitake-san," Kisuke said gently as he tilted the glass, careful not to overwhelm the delicate passage with water. "Shall I call Unohana-san again?"

Jyuushiro shook his head once the glass had been removed from his lips. His eyes displayed pain and exhaustion and the blood that dribbled out of the corner of his mouth, contrasting with the deathly pale skin, made Kisuke amazed once again at how strong his friend was to fight his debilitating illness.

"Let me get you your medicine," Kisuke said as he stood up and left to grab the medicine he had stored in the bathroom. He returned a minute later with the pills in hand, a bowl of teriyaki chicken in the other. "Tessai has just prepared lunch, Ukitake-san. Shall I leave it on the coffee table for when you are ready to eat?"

Jyuushiro shook his head. His voice was hoarse, scratchy. He sounded so defeated. "I'll... eat it... Kisuke-kun..."

The blond man shouldn't have been surprised; Jyuushiro was known for eating anything at any time, no matter what state of health he was in. He handed over the bowl with the cutlery already in it, watching as the older male immediately begun scarfing down the meal as if he had not eaten in weeks.

"Don't forget about your medicine," Kisuke said softly, placing the pills in Jyuushiro's sweaty palm. "I'll have Unohana come over later today if it gets worse."

Jyuushiro nodded, a faint smile on his face, but it was soon replaced by a grimace of pain as he instinctively curled up, one hand on his chest, as gut-wrenching, wet coughs assailed the man. The bowl hit the ground, food spilling everywhere, as the man's knees came up to rest against his chest, the pills dropping from his hand and mixing with the mess on the floor.

Kisuke felt his stomach churn as blood streamed through the gaps in Jyuushiro's fingers like mini rivers, wanting to help but not knowing how. He knew that it was times like these he needed to call Jyuushiro's personal doctor and possibly get him to a hospital, but he also knew that doing these things stressed the man more, intensifying the severity of the attacks.

Kisuke stood up and grabbed his phone out of his pocket. He dialled the nurse in charge of Jyuushiro's care and, when she answered, explained the situation. With reassurance that the woman was on her way, Kisuke tried his best to look after Jyuushiro.

_**~~Sogyo and Koto~~**_

Aizen wasn't surprised when the twins stayed back at lunch, tears in their eyes. He leant down and took them into his arms, holding them in a comforting manner.

"What's wrong, boys?" Aizen's gentle voice relaxed the twins, letting them feel as if they could cry to him.

"D-daddy left us..." Koto sobbed, crying harder. He and Sogyo hadn't had anyone they could talk to about this, leaving them in despair. "...He left us with _strangers...!"_

Aizen, of course, already knew about this. He nodded. "That's because Jyuushiro is a bad person. He hated you guys; he just didn't let you know it."

The twins believed these words; after Jyuushiro leaving them alone at a stranger's home like he did, they had no doubt in their mind that Ukitake had lied to them.

"Who are you staying with now, boys?" Aizen knew exactly where the twins were living, but it was always best to deceive others.

"...K... Kuchiki-sama..." Sogyo whispered.

"Ah." Aizen pretended to be surprised. "I know him. Byakuya is a lovely man. He would take great care of you."

"...He does, but..." Koto's fingers clenched his teacher's shirt tightly, "...b-but he... is married... to mommy... She hates us..."

Again, another thing Sōsuke already knew – but the twins didn't have to know that. "I didn't know that, boys. She doesn't like you? But that can't be possible; you both are very loveable boys. I imagine Byakuya is trying to make her attitude change?"

"...He doesn't know... M-mommy is... only mean... when he isn't around... He thinks she's good..."

"You'll need to sit down and have a big talk with Byakuya about this," Aizen said. "Byakuya is a caring person, despite his anti-social attitude."

The twins nodded, cuddling in closer to the brunet. They sat together for a few minutes more before Aizen picked the twins up, getting to his feet.

"Want to come with me to see Ichimaru-senpai?" Aizen asked gently, carrying the boys towards his assistant's office. The twins nodded with a smile on their face.

They were in silence for the duration of the short trip, but when they stepped into the small office, the twins had forgotten their previous distress and instead greeted Gin and their classmate happily.

"G-good afternoon, Ichimaru-senpai," Sogyo said politely. "Hi, Hitsugaya-san."

Tōshirō just turned his nose up at the twins, cuddling against the silver-haired male. Gin was sitting on the tatami mat, sipping at a cup of tea, smiling as happily as always. He wrapped his arm around Tōshirō's shoulders, smiling at the twins. He cracked his eyelid open slightly, observing the boys.

"Hey, guys." Gin patted the floor beside him, welcoming his students next to him. "Come sit."

Aizen put the boys onto their feet, watching as they moved to approach the silver-haired male. He pulled the desk chair out and sat on it, facing the other males curiously.

"Are you taking Hitsugaya-kun home with you or not?" Sōsuke asked his friend.

Gin shook his head. "Gotta take 'im back to his grandmother's tonight."

"Do me a favour, Gin?" Aizen's eyes sparked in delight as he spoke. "When you take him back to Karakura Town, stop by and visit two little raven women for me, will you?"

Gin's smiled widened. "Of course, Aizen-sama. What shall I do for ya while I'm there?"

"I heard their favourite brunet tried to kill himself." Aizen's expression twisted into one of sick amusement. "How about you make sure he's finished the job, and take the others out while you're there."

Gin saluted in mock respect. "Of course, Aizen-sama."

"Thank you, Gin."

The two adults conversed for a while, the twins talking to them every now and then. It was peaceful, a vast change from the stress the two boys had been under for the past couple of days. However, things couldn't always be like that – especially when the two adults you trusted were wolves in sheep's clothing.

_**~~Seireitei Hospital~~**_

Shunsui had been in the hospital for a day, and the doctors didn't think he was close to being released anytime soon. Lisa and Nanao were sitting with him, holding the shaking hand as they whispered to him. He wasn't able to talk back, having been put on a respirator to compensate for his collapsed lung.

"I'm just so glad Nanao decided to go and visit you..." Lisa spoke softly, running her hand through the chocolate brown hair. "I don't know what I'd have done without you..."

Shunsui's eyes were closed, but he listened carefully to what the women were saying to him. He squeezed Lisa's hand, wanting her to know that he loved her just as much as she loved him. There was silence for a few seconds as Nanao was still in shock over finding her father the way she did, and Kyōraku's nurse stepped into the room.

The woman smiled sadly as she approached her patient, her long blond hair hanging over her shoulder. "Hello, Kyōraku-san. It's time to take the charcoal again."

Shunsui's right eye cracked open and peered at the woman as he frowned, his body tensing. He shook his head in a weak manner, ready to fight the nurse to avoid taking the activated charcoal again. He whined and struggled weakly as the respirator was removed from his face and the substance fed to him. He choked and gagged, coughing as he swallowed it.

"We'll give it to you through the tube next time," the nurse said softly as she replaced the respirator. "It might help."

Shunsui groaned, closing his eyes again as he blindly searched for Lisa's hand. He relaxed only once the woman stroked his face, comforted greatly by her presence.

In Kyōraku's mind, all he could think about was Jyuushiro. He had come so close to killing himself before realising that something just wasn't right about the situation with Ukitake. Had someone hurt him? Forced him to do that? One name came to mind; _Aizen. _It was _exactly _the kind of thing the brunet would do to split them up.

Shunsui wasn't sure when he would be out of the hospital but, when he was, Aizen would want to watch out, because he wasn't going to let go of Jyuushiro so easily.


	15. Chapter 15

Two more days had passed and, during that time, Lisa and Nanao had not left Shunsui's side once. They had stayed with him during the severe bouts of depression, the aggressiveness towards the psychiatrist who was trying to force the brunet to talk to him, and even when the man was pushing everyone away – especially the doctors, refusing to take the medication they had for him.

The hospital had finally allowed Shunsui to leave, but he was under strict orders to rest for a few weeks. Lisa had said he was coming home with her, and when Shunsui argued, she quickly put him back in his place, not willing to chance him attempting again – and succeeding.

Right now, the three of them were in Lisa's car, making the long drive from Seireitei to Karakura Town. Shunsui was asleep, leaning against the door of the car, his breathing soft though laboured. His chest rose and fell in a slow manner, giving insight into his relaxed mood.

"What do you think happened?" Nanao asked, turning her attention onto her mother. She was sitting in the back seat, staring out of the window. "...Something happened between him and Ukitake-san..."

"I don't know." Lisa frowned before she sighed. She took one hand off the steering wheel and reached out, rubbing her thumb against Shunsui's cheek. "He... won't tell me anything..."

"...I can't believe... he tried to do that..."

"I know." Lisa kept her attention on the road, knowing that she couldn't do much for her daughter until they returned home.

By the time Lisa pulled up into her driveway, Shunsui started to stir. She turned the car off and got out, helping the brunet into the house. Nanao was behind them, still feeling very anxious about what her father had gone through. She felt that if she left him, he would not be there when she returned.

However, what they had walked into was not what they had expected; the house had been trashed. The furniture had been ripped to pieces and tables overturned. The TV was smashed and the walls were littered with holes. Glass and paper littered the wooden floor along with several personal items like photographs that were no longer intact.

The three surveyed the damage with wide eyes, knowing that there was only one person who would have done this; Aizen. Lisa let Shunsui rest against her as she grabbed her daughter's hand, holding it tightly. None of them would put it past Aizen to still be in the house, so it was safest to leave as soon as possible.

"Call Shinji..." Lisa whispered to Nanao as she handed the younger woman her phone.

Nanao nodded. She dialled the familiar number quickly as she started to help her parents move back to the front door but, before any of them could step out, the sound of running footsteps startled them and a swift whack to the back of their heads knocked them all unconscious.

The phone slipped out of Nanao's hand as she fell to the ground, a worried voice on the other end of the line.

_**~~Urahara Shop~~**_

Jyuushiro was nowhere near well enough to be getting up, but that didn't stop him from sneaking outside once Kisuke was gone. He sat down at the front of the store, coughing into the bloodstained handkerchief he was holding. He shivered, the cold weather doing nothing for him.

Ukitake knew that by the time Kisuke stepped into the small living quarters at the back of shop just to find that he was gone would get him in trouble with both his doctor _and _his friend, but he didn't care; he _needed _to get off that couch or he felt as if he were going to go insane.

Kisuke's three employees, Tessai Tsukabishi, Jinta Hanakari and Ururu Tsumugiya, were helping their boss care for the ill man, but they weren't as close as Kisuke and Jyuushiro were.

Jyuushiro frowned as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Stifling another cough, he picked it up and answered the call, not surprised to hear Aizen on the other end of the line.

"I've had enough waiting!" Aizen snapped at the white-haired male. "Get your fucking ass over here now!"

"'m sick..." Jyuushiro could only mumble, too exhausted to bother trying to make himself sound well.

Aizen's cold tone suddenly changed to one of amusement as he spoke again. "I have something of yours here. I don't care if you have to _drag _yourself here, but unless you want me to kill it, you'll be here by tonight at the latest. Do you understand me?"

Jyuushiro didn't question his ex. He knew what the man was capable of. He nodded, fighting back tears. He knew he was in no state to be going anywhere, but Aizen was up to something. "...Okay... I'll... be there soon..."

The brunet didn't reply; he instead hung the phone up, leaving Jyuushiro to wonder whose life was in his hands _this _time. However, his thoughts were soon interrupted by a familiar next of white hair that was approaching him.

"H-hitsugaya-kun...?" Ukitake fought back another attack as he clambered to his feet, his hand on the wall in order to steady himself.

Wide green eyes fixed on the man, a hint of fear in them hidden behind a cold exterior. His voice wavered as he spoke, giving away the fact that yes, he _was _afraid. "W-what do _you _want?"

Jyuushiro may not have experienced the results of sexual abuse at such a young age, but he had seen what it did to Shunsui; he couldn't let this boy suffer at the hands of a man who should know better.

"Please..." Jyuushiro's eyes widened as he collapsed back to his knees, at the mercy of his illness. His bowed head rose weakly when he felt a tiny hand on his shoulder. He moaned, in more pain than he usually was while he suffered through an attack.

"U..." Tōshirō bit his lip, not knowing what to do. "...Ukitake-san...?"

Tōshirō had bad experience with people. He didn't really like anyone except for Gin. But from the few times he had been around this man, he seemed like someone the boy could trust. Not wanting to leave the man in his suffering, Tōshirō run into the shop he had been heading for in the first place, calling out for help.

The man Tōshirō knew as Kisuke came out and, once he heard the situation, he hurried out to the front of the store and helped a now-unconscious Jyuushiro back into the shop.

Tōshirō watched as Urahara cleaned the blood away and injected a syringe into him. He was too scared to ask why pills were being forced down the man's throat, having had a lot of experience with people who did drugs.

At last, once the blanket was pulled up to Jyuushiro's chin and his breathing had evened out slightly, Kisuke turned back to the boy, a gentle expression on his face.

"Thank you, Hitsugaya-kun," Kisuke said softly. "Do you need more medicine for your grandmother?"

Tōshirō nodded, wiping at his eyes. His grandmother was the only family he had left, and he loved her dearly, but in her senile age, she was very sick and didn't remember who he was half the time – one of the main reasons he was always with Gin.

Kisuke was gentle as he moved back into the shop and pulled a small bag out from under the counter. He handed it to the boy before he patted the now-sobbing child on the shoulder. "It'll be okay, Hitsugaya-kun. Will you come back when you feel up to it and help out around the shop as payment?"

Tōshirō nodded before he made a hasty exit, his bag clutched tightly to his chest. Kisuke sighed and turned back to Jyuushiro, seeing the way sweat dripped down the pale man's face as shakes and shivers made themselves known.

Before the pale blond could do anything else, his phone rang. The caller ID said it was Lisa, but when the man answered the phone, he was greatly concerned to hear Nanao on the other end, crying her heart out as she whimpered that someone had taken her parents.

_**~~Three hours later~~**_

When Jyuushiro regained consciousness again, he could hear a group of people conversing in the next room. He still felt terrible, but he knew he had to go to Aizen, and now that Kisuke was distracted it would be the only chance he would get to sneak out.

The man got to his feet and stumbled towards the back door. He heard a number of names mentioned in the conversation such as Shinji and Yoruichi, and he recognised Nanao's sobbing voice, but he couldn't stop to see what was happening; he needed to get to the bus stop in time to catch the next bus back to Seireitei.

Ukitake stumbled and forced his way over to the shelter that was a five minute walk away, and when he finally boarded the transportation, he curled up in the back of the bus, shaking violently as he felt like he were going to die.

When Kisuke and his best friend, Yoruichi Shihoin, went to check on him just a few minutes after the bus departed, they were horrified to find that he was missing. With Shunsui's and Lisa's disappearance, this didn't look good at _all._

_**~~Kuchiki Manor~~**_

Sogyo and Koto were curled up on the couch in Byakuya's living room, watching the TV that had just arrived at the house earlier that morning. Byakuya and Hisana didn't have much need of a TV, not interested in sitting about to watch one, and Rukia had her own in her bedroom, but the male Kuchiki had taken the liberty of buying one just to keep the twins entertained.

Byakuya was sitting on the couch beside them, reading a book, while Hisana was with her sister in town. He wasn't paying much attention to the world around him, intrigued by the passage he were reading. However, when the twins started whimpering, he focused on them, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What is the matter?" Byakuya asked, his caring side making an appearance; he loved his wife and sister-in-law, and though he didn't have children with Hisana, he had always wanted some. But due to... _complications _with his family, his upbringing had left him cold and snobby towards others, giving 'outsiders' the impression that he was an emotionless bastard.

Sogyo met Byakuya's concerned gaze as he raised a shaking hand, pointing it at the TV. Kuchiki turned to look, finding that the children had been watching the news, and that this particular report was on the mysterious disappearances of three _very _familiar people; Lisa Yadōmaru, Shunsui Kyōraku and Jyuushiro Ukitake.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N This chapter is very dark, so be prepared. It will only last for about another chapter or so, so it won't be too much.**

Jyuushiro had collapsed as soon as he had gotten off the bus, drawing the attention of everyone around him. Blood dribbled out of his mouth, creating a long strand of bloodied saliva, and harsh coughs wracked his body. However, Aizen had, thankfully, agreed to pick him up after demanding that the weak male walk the rest of the distance.

People were gathered around Jyuushiro, their hands on his body, as others worriedly dialled for an ambulance. Before anything further could be done, Aizen made his appearance, as calm and collected as ever.

"Let me handle this," the brunet said, the soothing aura around him that Jyuushiro could remember once _did _make him feel safe. He stepped forward and leant down, gently shifting the sickly male into his arms. "I was on my way here to pick him up, after all. I'll make sure he receives medical attention."

Jyuushiro scrunched his eyes shut, though he wasn't sure if it were from the pain or the man's words. He shook harder, being held by the one who had put him through hell triggering the fear he tried so hard to forget. His chest tightened and he moaned loudly in pain as he was carried over to the brunet's car, shaking from pain and fear as he was dumped unceremoniously in the passenger's seat.

By the time the two arrived back at Aizen's home, a large three story house that was too big for just one person, Jyuushiro was passed out again, his illness only getting worse – and to top things off, he had not brought his medication or the prescribed painkillers he needed.

Aizen did not care about Jyuushiro's safety or comfort; he carried the man out of the car and into the house before he threw the frail body onto the floor, kicking into him until Jyuushiro's eyes flew open with pained cries.

"Get up..." Aizen snarled. He leant down and grabbed a lock of white hair, forcing him to his feet. He didn't relinquish his hold on the locks and instead used them to drag Jyuushiro up the stairs. Every time the man collapsed, he just continued to pull, dragging the man across the floor.

Jyuushiro just didn't have the strength to even _talk, _and what Aizen was doing was quickly taking its toll on his body. He was dizzy and his head throbbed as if someone had attacked him with a hammer. It felt like it were going to explode, and his limbs ached as his chest only continued to tighten as it went into spasms with coughs.

When Aizen stopped them outside of a closed door, Jyuushiro sincerely hoped that this was where he was killed; he couldn't continue wanting to live; he was too far gone with his illness and what this man had forced him to do to his family.

"Tell me what you said to Kyōraku." Aizen demanded, opening the door a little, enough for their voices to float inside, but not enough for Jyuushiro to see what was in there.

"...I told him..." Jyuushiro's voice was croaky, weaker than Aizen had ever heard it, "...I told him... I used him... and hated him..."

"But that's not true, is it." Aizen smirked as if he knew something Jyuushiro didn't know.

Ukitake shook his head. "...I'm... in love... with him..."

"Just trying to protect him." Aizen shook his head as he pushed the door open wider. "Too bad you failed in that attempt."

Jyuushiro turned his head to look into the room through half-lidded eyes. He gasped, his illness forgotten as he saw what was inside; Shunsui and Lisa were chained to the wall and covered in blood. Lisa's eyes were closed and she didn't seem to be moving, wrapped up in Shunsui's arms as the man sent a one-eyed murderous glare at the door, his right eye closed and covered in blood.

Jyuushiro came to painful understanding as he realised that Lisa was naked, and the bruises around her hips and the bite marks on other parts of her body gave the explanation that she had clearly been forced into having sexual relations with Aizen.

Shunsui's gaze travelled from Aizen down to Jyuushiro, and it softened, an almost agonised look conveying his thoughts. He understood why the younger had done what he had done; he had just tried to protect them, but it didn't work.

"...Jyuu-chan..." Shunsui whispered, unable to move to his lover; even if he weren't chained to the wall like an animal at some sideshow, his leg had been shattered and he wouldn't be able to make the distance between them.

Tears leaked down Jyuushiro's cheeks, but he couldn't move either. The illness had exhausted him to the point where he could barely keep his eyes open, let alone move.

Aizen's voice floated through the air. "I'll just leave this here for the night so that you can all talk." With that said, he disappeared down the corridor to where Jyuushiro knew his bedroom was.

"...Shun...sui..." Jyuushiro forced out, his breathing quick and harsh. "...Shun...sui... I... S-sorry..."

Shunsui shook his head, a deep concern in his voice. "Don't talk, Jyuu-chan; you need to save your strength. It's going to be alright."

"...L-li...sa..." Jyuushiro sounded as if he were about to slip into unconsciousness. "...She... okay...?"

Tears welled up in Shunsui's eyes at these words, but he didn't reply. He instead tried to get Jyuushiro to stop talking, knowing it was doing the weak man no favours. "Close your eyes, Jyuu... Go to sleep... Please... R-rest..."

Jyuushiro didn't go to sleep of his own free will; he instead collapsed again, unmoving for the rest of the night. Shunsui rested his face in the bloodied hair of Lisa, trying to hold back his tears as her chest rose and fell against his so weakly, he couldn't help but fear he would lose her any second.

_**~~The next morning~~**_

Jyuushiro was awoken by a loud, pained scream. He whimpered and curled up into a ball, not wanting to know what was happening to cause such a sound. He could hear Shunsui yelling and the clanking of chains, but it only made him more frightened; when it came to Aizen, it was best to not ask questions because you _wouldn't _like the answers.

The screams continued on for a few more minutes before they stopped completely, getting a satisfied chuckle from Aizen and a loud sob from Shunsui. Jyuushiro made sure to try and block the noises out, not wanting to hear any of it; it not only made his throbbing headache worse, but it triggered his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"You fucking bastard..."

Jyuushiro moaned, horrified to hear the absolute emotional _agony _in Shunsui's voice. He was in so much pain himself, physically, emotionally and mentally, but he couldn't imagine what Shunsui was going through – he _didn't want _to know how he was feeling.

"I'll fucking kill you..." Shunsui whispered again, his voice choked with sobs.

"You won't have that chance." Aizen's calm voice floated through the air next. "Sorry to disappoint you by ever giving you the impression you could."

"Lisa-chan..." Shunsui didn't hold his emotions back this time, Jyuushiro could tell. He heard more clanging, wondering what his boyfriend was doing. "...Lisa-chan... Oh, god..."

"She'll probably die in your arms," Aizen said softly. "Take consolation from the fact that she died because of _you."_

"She won't die..." Shunsui spoke with such pain, Jyuushiro cringed. He knew that it wasn't Lisa's fault, nor Shunsui's, that this was happening – it was _his. _Lisa, and maybe even Shunsui, might die here because of _him._

Jyuushiro cried out as hands grabbed him and dragged him to his feet. He winced when a fist connected with his face, drawing blood from the side of his face. It dripped down past his eyes and trailed over his mouth, the amount of liquid only increasing as the fist made contact again and again.

Ukitake could hear Shunsui yelling for the abuse to stop, but he knew it wouldn't until Aizen had become bored. He choked on the blood making its way out of his throat when a knee was rammed into his stomach, and he collapsed on the floor once again.

The pale man struggled weakly as his clothes were forced from his body, tears mingling with the blood. He knew what was happening – he was just surprised it hadn't happened sooner while he was still officially with Aizen. He guessed that the brunet just wanted to make a scene in front of Shunsui to cause even more trouble than he already had.

Jyuushiro cried out, his body moving away, as he was penetrated savagely. He clawed at Aizen, trying to push him away, but the brunet didn't even hesitate in his actions; he only got rougher until blood was flowing freely from between the sickly male's legs.

Ukitake's chest was not up to such ruthless and animalistic acts and, for the first time in his life, Jyuushiro found himself thanking his illness. As it constricted violently, forcing blood out of the man's mouth, the attack on the already-severely weakened body was enough for him to pass out once again.

Aizen payed his unconscious partner no heed and instead continued his ministrations, only causing more and more damage to the delicate man beneath him. He was aware of the woman watching through glazed, half-lidded eyes, curled up in her ex-boyfriend's arms as said man sobbed into her hair, curling his body around her in an attempt to protect her.

This was just too fun.

_**~~Later that day~~**_

While Shunsui and Lisa had been left in the same room they had been in since Jyuushiro's arrival, the younger male was curled up in Aizen's bed, his clothing stained in fresh blood as his body convulsed. Tears ran down his face as it mixed with blood, and he felt as if he were going to die. He needed a hospital desperately or he would, but Aizen didn't care about that – he didn't care about _anyone. _

Gin was here. He had been in Aizen's bedroom, stopping by to taunt the sickly man for a while before he continued his task of getting the illegal drugs out of Aizen's bedside drawers.

"I must say I'm rather surprised to see you without little Hitsugaya-kun."

Ukitake frowned, groaning loudly in distress as he heard Gin and Sōsuke converse from outside of the bedroom.

"His gran'ma is in hospital," Gin said, no hint as to how he felt about this in his voice. "Poor little thing just couldn't bear ta be away from her."

"She's going to die?" Aizen asked as if he were asking the colour of the shirt he was being told about.

"Believe so. Such a shame. Nice woman she was."

Aizen didn't reply and instead opened the door to his bedroom. He walked straight towards Jyuushiro and sat on the bed, pulling the struggling male's head onto his lap. His calloused hand stroked a bloody cheek, smirking in a manner that only sent chills up Jyuushiro's spine.

"Ukitake-san, yer kids are as beautiful as ever!" Gin cheerfully spoke as he stood by Aizen's side, taunting the man some more. "The first time I saw 'em, I thought they were beautiful, but even now just the thought o' 'em makes me hard."

Jyuushiro choked on blood, preventing him from taking the bait. He sputtered and gagged, only causing the two men to laugh.

"Would ya like ta see proof?" Without waiting for an answer, Gin's hand travelled to his pants, unbuttoning them and dropping them to his knees. His hard member sprang to life right in Jyuushiro's face.

The white-haired male whimpered loudly and tried to pull away, but Aizen kept him still, his own erection poking into the man's body. He forced Jyuushiro's mouth open, watching as his friend abused his lover in ways no one should ever be touched.

Jyuushiro just wanted out of this life. The first chance he got, he would take it – even if it meant death.


	17. Chapter 17

Two days had passed since Gin had abused Jyuushiro, and while said man was at the school with Aizen, their friend, Grimmjow, was watching their captives.

Jyuushiro knew Grimmjow and the rest of their friends because, when he had still been dating Sōsuke, he and the others had always shown up, either drunk or high, saying cruel things to both Ukitake and his children. The 'friends' had done drugs in front of them, had either attempted sexual contact with them or had it front of them, or fought violently, destroying half the house.

Grimmjow, for once, left Ukitake alone in Aizen's room, but the white-haired man was no fool; he would have found enjoyment out of treating Lisa and Shunsui like animals.

When at last Sōsuke returned home, he dismissed Grimmjow and headed straight to his bedroom, ready to bring Jyuushiro out and back over to Shunsui's side. The white-haired man was too weak to resist, whimpering softly as tears slipped down his cheeks, being forced to his feet and down the corridor.

Jyuushiro hated what he saw when he was thrown into the room belonging to Lisa and Shunsui. Lisa was as pale as a sheet, stained with blood, her chest rising and falling with laboured breaths. Her fingers twitched every so often, but her eyes remained closed, giving the impression that she was fighting to stay conscious.

Shunsui himself was bloodied and bruised. Blood stained the right side of his face, hiding bruises that were still visible on the left side. The white shirt he had been wearing was stained in the bodily fluid as if someone had tried to wash it in a bucket of blood. His leg was twisted at an odd angle, bone sticking through pierced flesh as pus dripped to the floor beneath them. A bad odour accompanied the injury, conveying that an infection was setting in.

Ukitake curled up into a ball on the floor, not wanting to see the pained eyes Shunsui fixed on him. He moaned as he was picked up once again, forced to stand on legs that just could not support him. He closed his eyes as a knife was placed into his hands, not wanting to know what sick game Aizen wanted to play this time.

"You have a choice," Aizen said, his soft voice full of malice. "You can only choose one person in this room. You can kill Kyōraku, Yadomaru or yourself. Personally, I would kill Yadomaru as I do not believe she has much longer left."

Jyuushiro's shoulders shook as he cried harder, feeling as if his head was about to explode. He heard the small pleas from Shunsui to not do this, and it only made things worse. He didn't know what emotion he was feeling – he felt as if he were experiencing _all _negative emotions as a heightened level. He felt as if he were going to throw up, like his body was going to seize. His vision was blurry and dark, and he _knew _he needed an escape.

The sickly male raised the knife to his wrist, shaking violently as he sobbed. He couldn't do this – he needed everything to _stop. _He pressed the blade down, drawing a trail of blood, his mind overloaded with thoughts and wants of death.

Aizen leant forward, his hands trailing down Jyuushiro's sides, as he leant in to whisper to Jyuushiro. "You chose the right path. After this, I'll kill Kyōraku and Yadomaru, and your twins will go to Gin for his... _extra loving care."_

Jyuushiro's eyes widened at these words. He had no control over his body, no conscious thought of doing it, but he soon found warm blood trailing over his hand as Aizen choked and a trail of blood dripped down his mouth. The brunet's eyes were wide, staring down at his stomach.

Ukitake's gaze followed, horrified to see that it was his hand who had plunged the knife deep into Aizen's chest. He couldn't help it; all the pain the brunet had inflicted upon him and his family... Jyuushiro felt as if he had finally snapped. Pushing the knife in further for good measure, he waited until Aizen collapsed to the ground, dead.

"J-jyuushiro..."

Said man turned as his name was whispered from the side of the room, but he could barely glance at Shunsui before he, too, fell to his knees, the knife slipping from his hand, as he collapsed to the ground, the stress of what had just happened finally worsening the illness to the point where his chest seemed to halt all functioning.

Shunsui didn't know what to do. He carefully laid Lisa down on the floor as he crawled over to the two males lying before them, ignoring the pain his leg made, hoping desperately that there was some way he could call for help.

Rummaging through Aizen's clothes didn't result in a phone – not even a key for the locks, Shunsui discovered. Jyuushiro was too far away for him to check but, even if he wasn't, there was _no way _his phone would still be with him.

Shunsui curled up, crying. He didn't know what to do – what _could _he do...? They were all stuck here, and no one would find them in time – if ever.

_**~~With Nanao~~**_

It had felt like forever since her parents had gone missing, and Nanao had been unable to find solace in anyone's arms. She didn't know what had happened, and the group of friends her mother was close to hadn't been able to do much themselves.

Shinji Hirako and Hiyori Sarugaki had been adamant that it was all Sōsuke Aizen's doing and wanted nothing more than to charge straight there with the guns blazing, but Kisuke and Yoruichi had felt it was better to stay behind the scenes and let the police do most of the work in case something happened and they became suspects in the case.

Hachigen Ushoda, a very nice man, agreed with Kisuke, wanting to avoid a fight if it were at all possible.

Kensei Muguruma and his adopted daughter, Mashiro Kuna, were all in favour of Shinji's idea, while Love Aikawa and Rose Otoribashi, were still undecided about what route they wanted to take.

Nanao sat in the corner of Kisuke's shop, wiping at her wet eyes, as she listened to everyone arguing about what was the right thing to do.

"After what he did to _all _of us, I can't believe you would rather sit back and let the fucking police handle this!" Hiyori, a very short-tempered, aggressive and violent girl shouted. "Don't you remember?!"

"What he did to us should not be allowed to get in the way of our rational thinking," Shinji said, poking his tongue out at Hiyori which soon earned him a punch in the face.

Hiyori and Shinji argued some more before Kisuke stepped in, waving his fan slowly as if it would diffuse the situation.

"Hirako-san is right, Sarugaki-kun," the pale blond explained. "Yoruichi and myself are in the same boat, and we just want what is best for everyone."

Rose was sitting on the couch beside Nanao, holding her close in an effort to soothe her. Love stood by them, watching the scene. Neither of them were sure on what to do, so comforting Nanao seemed like the best option.

When at last Kisuke finally took control of the situation, he knew he could only compromise with them; after what Aizen had done, they were all bloodthirsty for revenge – even him.

"Yoruichi and myself will pay a visit to his home," Kisuke said. "If there is any evidence that it was he who took them, _then _you can all go. Okay?"

The others nodded, not happy with the option, but knowing it was all they could do for now.

Kisuke was no fool; he knew that Sōsuke had at least Jyuushiro, but as to the other two... Well, it was something he wouldn't put past the brunet.

While Urahara and Shihoin left the shop, Nanao stayed behind with her mother's friends. They were people she didn't really know very well, having focused instead on her studies than anything else. Lisa had said a bit about what Aizen had done to them, but she still wasn't too sure.

"Hey, Rose...?" Nanao asked, reaching up to wipe at her eyes. The blond man looked down, his curly hair falling into his face. "...My mother said you all had experience with Aizen, too..."

"He framed us," Rose said simply. "He framed us and got us kicked out of our homes. And he treated Urahara-san as the main culprit – the conspirator between it all. Because of that, we really aren't welcome anywhere – and we didn't do _anything._"

"...What did he frame you for...?" Nanao was afraid of hearing the answer.

"...Human experimentation..." Love answered.

Nanao shook her head. She knew that none of that had truly happened and it was all Aizen's doing, but she knew better than to continue talking about it. Instead, she hoped Kisuke and Yoruichi would come back soon, needing desperately to know if her parents were there or not – and if they were, if they were... _alive..._


	18. Chapter 18

Kisuke and Yoruichi found it extremely odd to know that though Aizen's car was in the driveway and the front door was unlocked, no one seemed to be home. They had called out as they walked cautiously through the front area, but not one sign of life was noticed.

The purple-haired woman was the first to ascend the stairwell, trying to keep silent, not knowing what was in wait for them. Kisuke was behind her, the two of them ready to fight at the smallest hint of a threat.

They walked through the corridor, opening doors and peeking in only to find nothing, but they soon came across an open door at the end of the corridor. They glanced around the corner, sure that this was where the brunet was hiding, only to gasp in horror at what they saw.

There were pools of blood all over the carpet. Two bodies lay in them, with a third within arm's reach of one, and a fourth at the back of the room. All four of them were easily identifiable as the missing trio and their kidnapper.

"Call an ambulance!" Kisuke instructed as he hurried forward. He approached Sōsuke first, reaching out to find a pulse. There was none.

Shunsui just seemed to be unconscious with a slightly weaker pulse than normal, but didn't appear to be in any immediate danger. Lisa's was faint, signalling she was on the brink of death, and it was the same with Jyuushiro, though he was covered in sweat and his breathing was harsh, sounding as if he were trying to suck in air through a straw.

Kisuke knew he couldn't do anything other than wait for the ambulance and search for the key that _might _unlock the chains on Lisa and Shunsui's confines. He could only hope the ambulance would get here in time.

_**~~Urahara Shop~~**_

Shinji hung his phone up as he looked at Nanao, not knowing what to tell her. Kisuke had called and explained the situation, and it sounded dire.

The blond man approached the young lady sleeping against Rose's shoulder, shaking her awake carefully. He waited until Nanao rubbed sleep out of her eyes before he spoke.

"Nanao-san," Shinji started, "we need to go to Seireitei Hospital. It's... your parents have been found, and they need medical assistance."

Nanao tried to remain calm, but this was an impossible situation to be anything _but _calm in. "...What... W-what happened... to them...?"

"...Aizen... Come on; I'll give you a lift."

Shinji helped the raven-haired woman to her feet, knowing to be careful with her; what she was about to see... He turned back to his friends, knowing that they would all want to see Lisa, but that couldn't happen; _if _Lisa pulled through, she _couldn't _be around so many people. They would need to take it slow and do an individual visit each day.

"I'm taking Nanao-san over to the hospital, so work out amongst yourselves what will happen if..." Shinji didn't want to outright say 'if she survives' in front of Nanao, "...if it's possible..."

They all nodded, understanding immediately. Shinji helped Nanao out to his car, setting her down in the passenger seat. He knew that she was trying so hard to be strong, and he couldn't help but admire her for that. Lisa was always talking about how level-headed and in charge she always was; Lisa was right.

"...No matter what happens..." Shinji begun as he pulled the car out onto the road, "...your parents will always love you. They'll just be happy that you're safe."

Nanao nodded. She quickly raised a hand and swiped at her eyes before she looked straight ahead, knowing that she needed to be strong; if her parents were as bad off as she suspected, they would need her to be.

_**~~Seireitei Hospital~~**_

Shunsui had kicked up one hell of a fuss when the nurses tried to order him to remain in the hospital bed until they had done surgery on his leg, but he would have _none _of that. He needed to be by Lisa's side, and he _knew _she needed him there.

The nurses had relented, understanding that Lisa was in a critical state and may not pull through, so they allowed it in hopes that his presence would help somewhat.

Kyōraku sat in a wheelchair by his ex-girlfriend's side, holding the ice cold hand in both of his. Tears rolled down his cheeks, knowing what the doctors thought about her condition. She was on life support, a respirator breathing for her, and the heart monitor beeped ever so slow. If Lisa didn't make it... what would he do...?

"D-dad...?"

Shunsui turned at Nanao's voice, surprised to find her here. He didn't question it; he instead opened his arms, inviting Nanao into them. He knew the girl would accept the offer and, once she was curled up against him, he held her tighter than he had in years. He buried his face in the raven-hair, crying.

"How is she?"

The brunet looked up at a familiar voice, finding Shinji Hirako standing by their side. He shook his head. "...Not good... At all..."

"D-dad..." Nanao whispered, trying to keep herself composed but finding it harder than it had been on the way here. "...Dad, I..."

"Talk to her, Nanao-chan..." Shunsui whispered back, taking his daughter's hand in his. "Hold her hand... Let her know we're here with her..."

Nanao nodded and reached out with a shaking hand. She took her mother's cold on into hers, unable to take in the sight. Lisa was still covered in blood, medical care the first priority over cleaning her.

"Nanao-chan, I want you to know that –" Before Shunsui could say what he wanted, the heart monitor went erratic. The brunet's heart raced, knowing what it meant. He pulled Nanao into her arms, trying to comfort her as she burst into hysterics.

Shinji ran out and fetched the nearest nurse, but no matter what they did for Lisa, she flat-lined. Shinji's hand was on Shunsui's shoulder as the man cried his heart out into his daughter's shoulder, Nanao doing the same.

The nurses offered the three to remain with Lisa until they were ready to go, and as much as Shunsui wanted to, he knew he had to look out for Nanao. He quickly shook his head and asked for Shinji to wheel them out of the room, wondering if they had stabilised Jyuushiro or not.

"Hirako-san..." Shunsui's voice was thick with tears as his hold on Nanao tightened. He had given directions back to his own room, knowing that it was best for him to return now.

"What is it?" Shinji asked.

"...Can you find out how Jyuushiro is...?" Kyōraku's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Sure." Shinji waited until they had entered the brunet's hospital room and helped Shunsui onto the bed before he left with promises of finding out Ukitake's condition.

Nanao was on the bed, cuddled close against her father's side. She had cried herself to sleep, small hiccups and sobs plaguing her in sleep. Shunsui couldn't stop the tears that left hot trails down his cheeks, never having thought that something like this would happen to them.

Shunsui wanted nothing more than to blame Jyuushiro for getting them mixed up in this, but he knew he would be lying to himself if he did. This wasn't Jyuushiro's fault; Kyōraku had chased after him for_ years _knowing that Aizen would start trouble, and Ukitake _had _tried so hard to protect them.

No... None of this was Jyuushiro's fault. Just because he had gotten mixed up with Aizen in the first place didn't make it his fault; he had been fooled by Sōsuke's kind and gentle act and, once he had found himself in too deep, it was too late to leave. The only thing that had gotten him and the kids away in the first place was Kisuke physically forcing Jyuushiro out of the house when the brunet was away and into an apartment he had bought for the white-haired man.

The only thing that had kept Jyuushiro there in the first place was the threats against his children's lives.

Shunsui was so deep in thought he almost didn't realise when Shinji had returned. The blond sat beside him, sighing heavily.

"They say he won't wake up for a few good weeks," Shinji explained. "They say that the illness has weakened his body so much, the emotional and mental toll of what he went through was extensive, so they have slipped him into a coma. His body just couldn't cope with the strain. They don't expect it to be too long; just enough for him to recover somewhat."

Shunsui nodded. He didn't blame Jyuushiro for his body's reaction; he had seen the distraught on his boyfriend's face when the younger had stabbed Aizen. He could tell that Ukitake hadn't seen any other way out; that he just wanted a release from his pain; that he wanted to _escape, _from both his surroundings and his feelings.

"...Thank you..." Shunsui whispered sincerely as his eyes slipped closed. He hadn't realised it until now, but he was exhausted. "...Please... let us sleep..."

Shinji nodded as he stood up. "I will. I'll explain everything about Lisa to our friends. Please, take it easy..."

Shunsui hummed before he drifted into unconsciousness, his dreams full of agony as he relived Lisa's death over and over again. He knew that he would never get over this, but for Nanao's sake, he had to try, right?

_**~~One week later~~**_

Jyuushiro still had not come out of his coma, and Shunsui was still in the hospital, the infection in his shattered leg worse than the nurses had originally thought.

Shunsui was sleeping. The bags under his eyes were dark and heavy, a testimony of the stress the brunet had been under ever since Aizen had come after him. He hadn't slept well at all lately, so Nanao was glad to see him looking so peaceful.

"Get better soon, okay?" Nanao whispered as she kissed her father on the cheek. She stood up and left the room, deciding that food would be good for her; she had hardly eaten, the grief she felt at losing her mother overwhelming.

As Nanao walked through the hospital corridors, she stopped when she heard what sounded like a child crying. Poking her head into the waiting room, she found a small boy with spiky white hair crying into his hands as a nurse tried to comfort him.

"Are you okay?" Nanao asked softly as she approached the child. She knelt before him, reaching out to put her hand on his knee, but he jerked away quickly, a look of fear in his eyes.

The boy shook his head, his wide green eyes full of pain. "G-g... Grandmother... passed away this morning..."

Nanao felt her heart go out to this small boy. She looked at the nurse, nodding at her. "I'll look after him."

The nurse smiled softly at her before she left, leaving Nanao with the mourning child.

"What is your name?" Nanao asked, knowing she couldn't leave him alone like this; she understood what he was going through.

"T... Tōshirō..." The youth's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm Nanao," the girl introduced. "I know how you feel... My mother... left us, too..."

Tōshirō cuddled in against her at these words, wanting – no, _needing – _the comfort; he didn't usually let others touch him apart from Gin, but this wasn't normal circumstances; he was lonely and hurting and he wanted someone to understand him.

"I was on my way to get some food," Nanao explained. "Would you like to come with me?"

Tōshirō nodded, but he looked up with pained green eyes. "...I... I don't have... money..."

"I'll buy something for you." Nanao smiled. "It's okay."

The two stood up and left towards the cafeteria, Tōshirō's small hand in Nanao's clothing. They made small talk as they walked, neither of them particularly in the mood for serious conversation.

"Tōshirō?" Nanao asked as they sat down at the cafeteria table with their food just a few minutes later.

Tōshirō looked up at her, wiping at his green orbs. "Yes...?"

"Are your parents going to come and get you?" Nanao bit her lip, wondering why they weren't already here; surely if Tōshirō's grandmother was in the hospital, they'd be here, too, right...?

Tōshirō shook his head, looking down at his lap. "...I... don't have any parents... Only my grandmother..."

Nanao's heart went out to this boy. She nodded, knowing what needed to be done. "When we've eaten here, will you come back to my father's room? I'm sure he'd love to meet you, and he can help you decide what you want to do now."

Tōshirō was nervous about this offer; what was Nanao's father like? Would he hurt him? Abuse him? Hate him? ...But... there was always the chance he was kind... like his grandmother had been... What was he supposed to do? It was true he didn't have any family who he could stay with, but he could stay with his school teacher if he wanted to. ...But the man did things to him he didn't entirely like. If they lived together, it'd happen more often, wouldn't it? But who was to say her father wasn't the same?

Taking the plunge, Tōshirō agreed. Nanao smiled, reassuring her new friend that her father was a gentle man.

_**~~With Shunsui~~**_

Shunsui's eyes opened slowly to Nanao's voice. He looked around, finding his daughter talking to a child he had not seen before.

"Who is this, Nanao-chan?" Shunsui smiled at the boy, turning onto his side as best as he could to get a better look at his guest.

"This is Tōshirō," Nanao explained.

Shunsui's eyes widened at the name, knowing that this was the boy Gin Ichimaru molested. "...Toshirou..."

Tōshirō looked down at his feet. He wondered if this was the same man Gin and Sōsuke always talked about.

Shunsui chuckled softly as he got over his shock. "What brought you to visit me, Hitsugaya-kun?"

"...My..." Tōshirō fidgeted uneasily as he spoke, "...my grandmother... passed away... Nanao said you could help me..."

"Indeed I can." Shunsui's smile widened, his eyes soft with sympathy. "I am truly sorry to hear about your grandmother, though."

Tōshirō shrugged, wiping at his wet eyes. "...She was old..."

"You don't have any family, do you?" Shunsui was gentle as he spoke. If his leg wasn't in a sling, he would have gotten out of the bed and embraced the child tightly. He frowned when the boy shook his head. He didn't want to talk about the next thing on his mind, but he knew he had no choice; Tōshirō needed to understand. "Are you considering going to Ichimaru?"

Tōshirō nodded. "...I... But... He..."

Shunsui pushed himself into a sitting position, leaning on his elbows. "You don't like the things he does to you, do you?"

"...No..."

"Then don't go to him," Shunsui said in his most caring manner. "You can stay with me. I... I-I know what it's like... to be touched like that... My father... did to me, Hitsugaya-kun..."

Tōshirō looked up, letting a stray tear leak down his cheek. "...Really...?"

Shunsui nodded. "I... don't talk about it to many people, but... it's always good to know there's people like you..."

Tōshirō raised his arm to his eyes, hiding his face as he cried. He nodded, stepping closer to the bed. He climbed up, burying his face into the brunet's chest. "...Don't make me go back..."

"I won't," Shunsui promised as he wrapped his arms around Tōshirō. "You can stay with me for as long as you want, okay? It's going to be okay. I won't let Ichimaru touch you like that again."

Tōshirō nodded, crying himself to sleep. The stress he was feeling was phenomenal. He was heartbroken that his grandmother had gone away, he felt so lonely without her, and he was afraid of being subjected to Gin's treatment again.

Shunsui held his new child tightly until Tōshirō cried himself to sleep. He hadn't wanted to admit to the boy that, even if he had wanted to, he couldn't go back to Gin because the man had been arrested. The rape kit had been run on not only Jyuushiro, but Lisa and Shunsui themselves, and his bodily fluid had been found in all three of them.

Nanao sat on the bed beside them, exhausted. She wanted to sleep, but she wanted to be here with her father and Tōshirō.

Shunsui sensed her discomfort and turned to her. He raised a hand, running it through the silky black locks as he spoke. "Sleep, Nanao-chan. You need it."

Nanao didn't need to be told twice; she just couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. She rested her back against the headboard of the hospital bed and fell fast asleep.

Shunsui stayed awake, thinking about Jyuushiro. When would the younger male wake up? He needed Ukitake – badly.


	19. Chapter 19

Two months had passed before Jyuushiro had come out of the coma. He was displaying symptoms of emotional and psychological trauma, feeling as if it were all his fault and that he was hopeless. He wasn't concentrating properly and seemed confused, and his slight anxiety disorder had developed into one of a much larger scale. He was withdrawing from Shunsui, was in pain and startled easily, and his body was tense.

Shunsui and Nanao sat in the chair beside the frail man's bedside, holding his hands. Tōshirō was on the brunet's lap, feeling so out of place.

"How are you feeling?" Shunsui asked, knowing that his boyfriend had only been out of the coma for a few hours; it would take a while before Ukitake was coherent enough to understand what he was experiencing.

Jyuushiro moaned softly. He shifted in the bed, rolling onto his side. He licked his dry lips, his face displaying his utter exhaustion. "...M-my kids..."

"They're safe with Byakuya," Shunsui whispered. He reached out and ran his hand through the dirty white locks. "I was talking to him after this happened. He promised to make sure the kids are safe."

The brunet glanced behind him at the door leading to the hospital room. He knew that there were police out there waiting to talk to Jyuushiro; he had been speaking to them, asking for them to allow him to go in first and relax his lover.

"...Sosuke..." Jyuushiro moaned, closing his eyes in pain. He shook his head before he spoke again, "...He said he'd... give them to Gin..."

Shunsui shook his head; no wonder Jyuushiro had snapped and turned the blade onto their tormentor. "They're safe, Jyuu. I promise. Ichimaru is in jail."

Jyuushiro moaned again, his whole body aching. He leant into the hand that was now caressing his cheek, staring at Shunsui with his green eyes. He knew Nanao and Tōshirō were in the room with him, but he couldn't focus on them; it was hard enough focusing on Shunsui as it was.

"Hitsugaya-kun is staying with me," Shunsui said, trying to change the subject. He didn't want to tell him that Lisa hadn't made it, knowing it wouldn't help him in the least. "And Nanao is moving back in to my home, too. Mom is on her way to visit you; she's been too busy to come down, but she wants to see you."

Jyuushiro panted as he tried to control his racing heart. "...Y... Y-yado...maru...-san..."

Shunsui and Nanao looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Kyōraku at last answered, his voice thick with emotion. "...She didn't make it..."

A single tear leaked down Jyuushiro's pale cheek as he took in the information. He nodded, pulling himself closer to Shunsui. "...I-I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault," Shunsui said gently. "I promise you it's not your fault. I don't blame you. No one does."

"But..."

"You can't control _anyone _around you, Jyuushiro," Shunsui explained. "You can only control yourself. It's something my psychologist told me when I blamed myself for what my father did to me. It's not your fault that Aizen did what he did; you couldn't control him even if you tried."

Jyuushiro didn't reply to these words. He instead let out a yawn, closing his eyes. "...Tired..."

Shunsui nodded, turning to Nanao and Tōshirō. "We'll let him sleep. Nanao-chan, please tell the officers to come back later."

Nanao left the room, informing the two police officers waiting patiently outside what was happening. They agreed to come back when Jyuushiro was feeling better.

Shunsui was getting ready to leave, tucking Jyuushiro in tightly underneath the hospital blankets. He smiled down at Tōshirō and turned to walk out, but Ukitake's barely audible voice stopped him.

"My... fish..." Jyuushiro's left right eye was cracked open, looking at Shunsui.

Shunsui couldn't help but chuckle at the concern in the younger's voice. "They're fine. Nanao-chan has been feeding them for you."

Jyuushiro sighed happily, his eye closing once again as a small smile appeared on his face. He was still for a few seconds before Shunsui knew he was sleeping; his breathing had evened out.

"Come on," Shunsui whispered to Tōshirō. He took the boy's hand and led him out of the room, leaving his lover to sleep.

_**~~One week later~~**_

Since Jyuushiro's body had mostly repaired itself in the coma, the doctors had given him the clear to go home. Shunsui was adamant that he come back with him and for once, Jyuushiro didn't find himself arguing; he was still very vulnerable emotionally and he didn't think he could handle being on his own.

Nanao was back at the house watching over Tōshirō, leaving the two adults alone. Jyuushiro was quiet as he stared out of the window of Shunsui's car, watching as the traffic passed them.

"You know none of that was your fault," Shunsui said softly, knowing what Jyuushiro was thinking about.

"...But..." Jyuushiro tensed as he turned to look at Shunsui, "...I got you and... Yadomaru-san... involved..."

"No, you didn't," Shunsui explained. "I knew the risks, but I loved you anyway, Jyuu. I was prepared for whatever happened; all I knew was that I loved you more than anything. And if... _he _wanted to get in the way, so be it. He'd never make me stop loving you. And he hasn't."

"...Yadomaru-san –"

"-was sadly caught in the middle of something she had no involvement in, yes," Shunsui said sadly. "I understand that. But that was Aizen, aiming to destroy all of our lives. I will miss Lisa-chan, and it will always hurt, but we still have our own lives, Jyuushiro. The only person who is at fault for _any _of this is _Aizen."_

Jyuushiro wiped at his eyes. He tried his best to hold back the tears, but Shunsui would have none of this. "Jyuu-chan... Please... D-don't stop yourself from crying. You'll make it worse. If you want to cry, go ahead and do it, okay?"

Jyuushiro nodded, his restraint on his emotions slackening. Shunsui took one hand off the steering wheel and reached over, putting it on the trembling shoulder. He knew he needed to pay attention to the road or else he would have spoken, but hopefully Ukitake would feel safe with the contact.

Shunsui was glad that the police understood what had happened. They had seen the extent of the damage Aizen had inflicted upon Ukitake, understanding that he had acted in self-defence.

"We're going home and you can have a sleep, okay?" Shunsui said a few minutes later. "While you sleep, I'll call Byakuya and ask him to give back the twins."

Jyuushiro nodded. He knew that Shunsui had been trying so hard to get Byakuya to put the twins back into their custody, but Hisana had been very sick and the raven-haired man had been too distraught to listen to reason.

Shunsui wondered if Byakuya was holding onto the twins because he knew his wife was going to leave him. It was no secret that Hisana had been sick for a while, and it had only gotten worse. Perhaps he was trying to keep the last thing that truly reminded him of his wife by his side. But if that were the case, he still had Rukia. So why?

If Byakuya was after kids, would he consider taking in Tōshirō and returning the boys? Tōshirō needed someone to look after him, and it would be more convenient for him to go with Byakuya since Shunsui had to look after Jyuushiro and Nanao.

Jyuushiro didn't cry for long until he fell asleep. Shunsui smiled softly, hoping he would rest as much as he could

_**~~Kuchiki Manor~~**_

The twins knew that they should have felt something about their mother's passing, but it was hard to feel upset about someone you hated. Hisana had passed away that morning, her body too weak to withstand a severe bout of flu. Rukia and Byakuya were mourning, the younger girl having not left her room while Byakuya just sat on the couch in the living room, staring down at his lap.

Neither boy wanted to admit that they were happy Hisana was no longer around to be cruel to them – they knew that admitting she only ever yelled and hit them would make things worse. They instead chose to remain in their room, talking quietly amongst themselves.

"I miss daddy..." Koto whispered, resting against his brother's side. Tears ran down his cheeks, not knowing what to think. Aizen had told them that their dad hated them, but Byakuya denied that and said he loved them. Who were they supposed to believe...?

"I know..." Sogyo whispered back. His small arms were around the younger twin, holding him tight. "I know... I miss him, too... Kuchiki-sama said he was home now, so he must be okay..."

"But when will he come get us?" Koto sobbed. "I hate it here!"

"Me, too..."

The two boys cried out their frustrations together while downstairs, Byakuya left to answer the knock on the front door.

"What do _you _want." Byakuya sniffed as he saw the familiar face standing outside his door. "Have you not harassed me enough, Kyōraku?"

Shunsui sighed, feeling terrible about his presence. He had heard about Hisana's passing, and it really made him feel horrible to be here after such a thing had happened.

"I can make a compromise with you," Shunsui said softly. He reached out and put his foot in between the door and its frame when Byakuya tried to slam it closed. "Please hear me out. I know you're grieving, and so am I. But I brought home a young boy who's without a family now. I have to look after Jyuushiro and Nanao, so it's hard for me to start an entirely new bond while making sure everyone's happy. He was molested quite often, so that makes it more difficult for me. He needs a family and someone who can focus on him. So please... Will you take him in for me and return the twins? Jyuu is lonely."

"...They are Hisana's children..." Byakuya whispered, finding it difficult to reign in his emotions.

"They are also Jyuushiro's sons. I understand what you're saying, but please understand what _I'm _saying. Jyuu needs his children and Tōshirō needs a home."

"..." For once, Byakuya found himself relenting. He was just too tired to argue. He sighed. "...Is he well-behaved...?"

"Mostly. His grandmother passed away and he's still upset. He's got manners, but from the sexual abuse, he can be distant. But I'm sure you'd look after him."

"..." Byakuya's eyes slipped closed as he nodded. "...Alright... I will bring them over soon..."

"Thank you, Byakuya." Shunsui smiled as he reached out and put his hand on Byakuya's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, alright?"

Byakuya nodded. He closed the door in a gentler manner this time and leant his back against the wood. He buried his face in his hands, unable to believe what he had just agreed to.

Hopefully this would work out for everyone; Ukitake did, after all, go through hell.


	20. Chapter 20

When Byakuya arrived at Shunsui's home a few hours later with Rukia and the twins in tow, Shunsui was prepared for whatever he had to do to make sure the twins were returned into their care. He had already told Tōshirō and asked what he wanted to do, and he was relieved to hear that the boy wouldn't mind going to Byakuya's care.

Jyuushiro was fast asleep in Shunsui's bedroom, having been up most of the night unable to sleep. He had thought so much on what had happened with Aizen, he had stressed himself greatly. He was woken up by a gentle shake of his shoulder, and his hazy green eyes looked up into Shunsui's gentle face.

"S-shunsui..." Jyuushiro yawned loudly, reaching up to rub at his eyes. "...Is Byakuya here...?"

Shunsui nodded. "Yes. He has the twins. I believe he's taking Tōshirō home with him instead."

Jyuushiro smiled brightly. He didn't resist when strong arms pulled him out of the bed and into Shunsui's hold; he knew the brunet just cared and wanted to make sure he didn't overexert himself.

When Shunsui brought Jyuushiro down into the living room, the white-haired man was bombarded with hugs by two very small children. Tears ran down his cheeks as he returned the hug, just so happy that he was getting his precious boys back.

"I missed you guys so much," Jyuushiro whispered, kissing the twins on their cheeks. "Are you okay?"

The twins nodded, wanting to tell their dad about everything Hisana had done, but knowing not to talk about it while Byakuya was still around.

Shunsui was sitting on the couch beside his friend, holding Tōshirō on his lap as he introduced the boy to Byakuya.

"So this is little Hitsugaya-kun," Shunsui said, wrapping an arm around the boy's waist as he used his free hand to stroke spiky white locks. "He's very smart. I think he'd make a wonderful child."

Byakuya's cold gaze made Tōshirō shiver as it ran over him, as if searching for the slightest fault. He didn't know what to think when the raven nodded silently at Shunsui; was this approval? Disapproval? What was going to happen?

"As long as he is well-behaved, I will take him," Byakuya said softly.

Shunsui smiled and nodded. "He is. I think you'll like him. Do you still want to go with Byakuya, Hitsugaya-kun?"

Tōshirō nodded, wanting to experience what having a family was like. He had loved his grandmother, but she was unable to truly care for him properly, having been too old. And from what Shunsui had told him, Byakuya wanted a kid. Maybe they could experience family together?

Byakuya's eyes closed again as he spoke. "Very well. Gather anything you require and we shall leave."

"He just has some clothing I've bought for him," Shunsui explained as he put Tōshirō onto the couch beside him. "I'll go and get it."

Tōshirō watched Shunsui leave the room before he looked back at Byakuya in uncertainty. He could only hope that the man wouldn't be like Gin. It was true that he loved the silver-haired man – Gin had never treated him as some child genius like everyone else had and looked after him – but he didn't like the things they did together.

"Hi..." Tōshirō said softly, looking down at his lap. He smiled weakly up at the raven-haired man when Kuchiki nodded at him, but he otherwise didn't know how to react. "...Kyoraku said you're good with kids..."

Byakuya nodded again, but otherwise didn't speak. There was silence between them until Shunsui returned with a small suitcase in his arms.

"These are the clothes I bought for him and a few other small things I said he could have," Shunsui said as he passed the luggage over to the younger male. "I know we've never really gotten along, but I think you're doing a great thing here – for yourself _and _for Tōshirō. So thank you, Byakuya."

Byakuya bowed his head in a silent thank you. He leant down and took Tōshirō's hand, not normally allowing such intimate contact with anyone other than Hisana, but wanting to be a good parent to this boy. He had wanted kids for as long as he could remember, but he had feared his late wife's body too weak to have any. Adopting had never crossed their minds as Hisana had not shared the same passion for children as her husband did, but this felt right to the man – helping a less fortunate child out.

Shunsui watched as Kuchiki left with his new child in tow before he turned back to his own boyfriend. He leant down and kissed Jyuushiro's forehead before he ruffled the twins' hair.

"Looks like things worked out for you guys." Shunsui took the younger male's chin in his hands, smiling affectionately down at all of them.

Jyuushiro smiled back up shyly. He held his children tighter, sighing happily as he leant into his lover's touch. "Where's Nanao-san?"

"Upstairs, studying away for school, I believe." Shunsui sat down and pulled the much slighter male onto his lap. "I just want to say that I'm so sorry for how I acted... _that _night... I... I didn't know what was going on..."

Jyuushiro shook his head, resting against the strong chest beneath him. "I-I'm sorry... I should have talked to you about it... I promise I'll talk to you the next time something like that happens..."

Shunsui laughed loudly, gleeful to hear this words, but his amusement was cut short when his chest started to heave, his lungs feeling as if they were closing. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the inhaler he had been given after he got out of hospital, the collapsed lung he had suffered leaving him with asthma.

Jyuushiro raised a concerned hand and rubbed his partner's back. He knew what it was like to struggle breathing; he had been born with a severe lung deficiency that had him hospitalised for most of his beginning years.

"It's okay," Jyuushiro said softly. He shifted the twins on his lap so that he could kiss the corner of Shunsui's chin. "As long as you stay calm, you'll be fine."

Shunsui knew to not doubt Jyuushiro's words. He nodded and reached out, taking hold of the hand that was now resting on his thigh. He squeezed it in reassurance.

"I'll be fine...!" Shunsui wheezed out, willing himself to be strong; if Jyuushiro could handle living at death's door each and every day, he could handle a bit of asthma.

"Do you need some water?" Koto offered, reaching up to wrap his small hand in Shunsui's chocolate brown hair. "It helps daddy sometimes."

Shunsui shook his head, forcing a smile onto his face. He had finally controlled his breathing and didn't want to worry the twins; they had enough to deal with knowing their father was ill. "No, thanks, Koto-chan. Why don't you and Sogyo-chan go and talk to Nanao-chan?"

The boys nodded before they hugged Jyuushiro once more and left. The two adults watched them disappear up the stairs before Ukitake moved closer and snuggled in against Shunsui.

Kyōraku entwined their hands together, bending his neck to kiss the pale forehead. "How are you feeling, Jyuu-chan?"

"...Better, today..." Jyuushiro mumbled. He turned to bury his face into Shunsui's shoulder, sighing softly. "...I think my body got used to my new meds... I don't feel the side effects today and I feel slightly less anxious."

"That's good." Shunsui smiled as he squeezed his lover's hands. "I know you didn't want antidepressants because you're already medicated for your illness, but they really will help you. Don't feel ashamed; it's no different to me needing an inhaler now for my asthma."

Jyuushiro nodded. "I know... I just... feel so dependent on medicines..."

"It's for your health. Don't feel that way."

"...Alright..."

"Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?" Shunsui offered. "I know a nice restaurant not far from here. My mother wants us to have dinner with her because she feels awful having been unable to stay with us for very long in the hospital."

Jyuushiro smiled and looked up. "Sure. Just..." the pale man shifted uneasily as he glanced down at his lap, "...I feel... _nervous _going out... Promise you'll stay with me...?"

"I would _never _leave you knowing you don't feel safe," Shunsui promised. "Aizen isn't here to hurt you anymore, so remember that, alright?"

Jyuushiro nodded, pressing in closer against his boyfriend. "I love you, Shunsui..."

"I love you, too, Jyuu-chan." Shunsui let go of the younger's hands and instead rested them on frail hips. He rubbed up and down a few times before he squeezed them, kissing Jyuushiro's lips gently. "Go and get dressed into something nice, okay?"

Jyuushiro smiled and nodded. He pecked the stubbly cheek before he got off the couch and went upstairs. Shunsui rang his mother and made the plans before he followed the smaller male. He poked his head into Nanao's bedroom, finding her sitting on the bed reading a book to the twins.

"Nanao-chan, get dressed into your best clothing, okay?" Shunsui smiled at the three occupants. "We're going out for dinner. Will you help the boys pick something out, too?"

Nanao nodded. "Sure, dad." She moved to get off her bed, but she suddenly stopped, a faraway look crossing her face.

"Nanao-chan?" Shunsui stepped into the room and approached his daughter. He reached out and gently pulled her against his chest. "Are you feeling okay? You can stay home and sleep if you're becoming ill."

Nanao shook her head, reaching up to rub at her eyes. "It's not that... Dad, it's just... Mom and I used to go out for dinner all the time... And now she's suddenly not here..."

Shunsui kissed his daughter's cheek as he tightened his hold on her. "I know... It's hard for me, too, Nanao-chan. Don't forget, I didn't get to see your mom very much because of Aizen, and now I can never make up for that lost time. But Lisa-chan loved you with all her heart, and she wouldn't want you being so upset. She'd want us both to be happy. I know it's hard and sometimes you just have to let it all out, but please come tonight and show your mother that you're still going to go forwards in life. It'd be what she wants."

"I know, dad..." Nanao returned the embrace. "I know... But at least we don't have to be apart anymore... I love you..."

"I love you, too, Nanao-chan. You know what? I still have a dress your mother used to wear. I think you should have it."

Nanao looked up at the brunet with wet eyes. "Really...?"

Shunsui nodded and took the girl's hand. He instructed the twins to wait in their room for Nanao to return and lead his daughter to his bedroom. He knocked on the door and poked his head in, finding Jyuushiro was sitting on the bed, his clothing in his hands.

"Can we come in, Jyuu?" Shunsui asked, more sympathetic to Jyuushiro's mental state. He was careful not to make sexual comments like he used to, not sure how the much slighter male would react after the scarring. He smiled when Jyuushiro nodded and led Nanao in and straight over to the wardrobe.

"I didn't know you still had mom's clothes," Nanao said as Shunsui dug into the back and resurfaced with a dress. It was black with frilly bottom, giving the impression of a skirt. It was designed similar to a kimono in that it was closed like one with a matching black obi.

"Just this one," Shunsui explained as he handed it to the young woman. "I bought it for her not long after we started dating. She left it so that I had something to remember her by."

"It's very pretty." Nanao smiled. "She must have looked good in it."

"She was so beautiful..." Shunsui's voice had a soft longing in it, but his expression only displayed happiness. "She'd want you to have it. Try it on."

Nanao went into the adjoining bathroom, closing the door softly behind her. Shunsui turned to Jyuushiro and smiled at him before he joined the younger on the bed.

"Are these what you want to wear?" the brunet asked, glancing down at the clothes in his lover's hands. Jyuushiro was holding a grey shirt and black slacks with his green scarf to keep out the cold air.

Jyuushiro smiled and nodded. "Yes..."

"Get dressed before Nanao-chan comes back out, okay?"

Jyuushiro blushed, wanting to refuse while Shunsui was in the room, but he knew they had moved past that stage after having made love together all that time ago. Besides; he knew it hurt Kyōraku's feelings when he acted like they weren't partners.

Ukitake had already changed his clothing by the time Nanao came out. She had let her hair down from its usual clip and it flowed down to the small of her back. The dress itself looked lovely on the girl; it hugged her in just the right places and hung down enough to show some skin but was not too revealing.

Shunsui smiled and clapped his hands together once. "My beautiful Nanao-chan~!"

"You look very nice, Nanao-san." Jyuushiro smiled. "The dress suits you."

"Thanks..." Nanao blushed, always embarrassed at receiving attention such as this.

"Will you go help the twins pick out clothing, my dear Nanao-chan?" Shunsui asked, moving closer to his love. "I need to get dressed myself."

Nanao nodded and left. Jyuushiro blushed scarlet as Shunsui stood up from the bed and moved to pick out his own clothing. It wasn't that he was afraid of sex – after what Aizen had done, he was nervous about it, but he didn't fear it – it was that after the brunet had seen what had happened to him, he was worried about whether or not he would still want him.

"S-should I..." Jyuushiro gulped, toying with the hem of his shirt, "...leave you to get dressed...?"

Shunsui shook his head. He pulled his shirt off from over his head and shrugged his jeans off before he approached the slighter male. "After what happened to you, I understand completely if you don't want intimacy for a while."

"It's not that..." Jyuushiro whispered, avoiding the older male's glance. "...I feel like you won't want me anymore after what... _he _did..."

"Nonsense." Shunsui hugged the white-haired man tightly, pulling him tight against his chest. "I love you so much, Jyuu. No matter what _anyone _did or does to you, I will always love and want you."

As if to prove his point, Shunsui joined their lips together, pressing his tongue against Jyuushiro's lips for entrance. Once it was granted, he moved one hand to rest against the back of the younger's head, pulling him ever closer.

Jyuushiro moaned softly as a hot tongue tasted all over his wet cavern, feeling as if this was the most passionate he had ever been kissed before. He was gently laid down on the bed, a hand coming to run over his sides once again.

When they broke apart, Shunsui looked deeply into the green orbs laid out before him. He whispered, his voice full of tender emotion, "May I?"

Jyuushiro nodded, knowing it was something he needed in order to recover. Their mouths reconnected as Shunsui's gentle hands removed the younger's clothing as if he were tending to a precious birthday gift.

Jyuushiro moaned as he felt Shunsui's hardness press against his thigh. It felt different from all the other times he'd had sex; it felt _right. _He tilted his head to the side, giving the brunet's lips more room to attack his flesh with sucks and kisses.

Shunsui knew he had a prize in his arms. Jyuushiro meant so much to him, and he didn't want to break the fragile man; no matter how often Ukitake denied it, he was that scared, injured little child who would shatter if handled the wrong way.

"I want to make you feel better than ever," Shunsui murmured against his lover's throat. His hand travelled in between their bodies and took hold of Jyuushiro's slightly hard member. "I want to wash away everyone else's touch and leave only my own."

Jyuushiro moaned again at these words. He knew what he wanted, and he wanted just that; to be Shunsui's and Shunsui's_ alone. _"...Shunsui..."

Shunsui kissed his way down Jyuushiro's neck to his chest, kissed both nipples, and made his way down the man's stomach, stopping just before Jyuushiro's shaft. He lowered his mouth around the tip, sucking softly as he listened to his partner shift in pleasure.

The brunet took more of the erection into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the tip before he ran it down the base of the shaft.

Jyuushiro's breath hitched and he moaned loudly, scrunching his eyes shut. He kept his hips still, allowing the older male to work his magic. He rarely had partners who did this for him, so he was extra sensitive to the sensations. He reached down with his right hand and tangled it in the messy locks of brown as he bit his lip, feeling himself becoming overwhelmed with pleasure. It was true he had felt nervous before, but Shunsui had always had a knack for making him feel safe and loved – now was no different.

As Shunsui continued his actions on the ever-hardening member, he reached up, placing three fingers on Jyuushiro's lips. He smiled as they were immediately accepted into the hot cavern, shivering as he felt the other's tongue run over them.

This was new for Jyuushiro; he had never been the one to suck on fingers before; he usually used lube, or his partners would wet their fingers for him instead. He found that he rather enjoyed the act; it gave him a sense of control, helping him to feel safer.

Shunsui pulled his face away from the younger male's groin, replacing his mouth with his free hand instead. He pumped slowly, matching his pace with Jyuushiro's tongue. He himself was hard, but he didn't want this to be about him; he wanted to make his lover understand that no matter what, he would never hurt him like other people had.

When Kyōraku felt as if his fingers were wet enough, he pulled them out of the hot cavern. He smiled lovingly when he felt small nips being applied to the tips and leant down to kiss Ukitake again for good measure.

The two kept their mouths conjoined as Shunsui rubbed the outside of the slighter male's entrance, teasing it. He pushed the first finger in after a few seconds, doing his best to make sure it wasn't too uncomfortable.

Jyuushiro was used to the odd feeling of preparation and just shifted his hips, accommodating the intrusion. He sighed softly, closing his eyes as he waited for his partner to finish preparing him.

The brunet would never get used to the way Jyuushiro handled the stretching part of their lovemaking; he was so calm and didn't seem to feel much pain. He was sure that it was because the younger had been with so many people, but he wanted to believe that it was because of the love and trust between them.

At last, when Shunsui was lined up at his lover's entrance, he held the pale hand in his, easing himself in slowly. Jyuushiro bit his lip, gripping the man's shoulders tightly. Though fingers didn't bother him much, he hated when he was finally entered.

"Just a bit more, baby..." Shunsui whispered, squeezing the hand in his. He was rocking his hips, pulling out slightly before pushing in further. "Almost there..."

Jyuushiro pulled his hand out from Shunsui's hold and instead wrapped his arms around the brunet's shoulders. Tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes, never having been with a man as big and wide as his current lover.

"Shunsui..." Jyuushiro's eyes were half-lidded as he looked up at the brunet. His face was flushed, a single tear slipping from the corner of his eye and onto the white pillow beneath them.

"Yes, my love?" Shunsui asked, finally stilling inside of the warm body beneath him, having buried himself to the hilt. "Is it too much for you?"

Ukitake shook his head. "No... I... I love you..."

"I love you, too." Shunsui smiled. "Tell me when you're ready."

Jyuushiro nodded. He didn't move for a minute, but he soon nodded. "You can move..."

Shunsui was careful as he pulled out of Jyuushiro. He pushed back in slowly, not wanting to pick up pressure until he had found the younger's special spot. It didn't take long to find it.

Jyuushiro moaned loudly as he tightened his hold on his lover. He shifted again, angling his hips so that his knees pulled back to his chest, exposing more of his backside. The brunet's hands moved to his knees, pushing them apart as he thrust harder.

"S-shunsui...!" Jyuushiro moaned breathlessly. He rocked his hips in time with his boyfriend's thrusts, untangling one hand from Shunsui's neck to work his neglected member. He pumped slowly, feeling the familiar coiling in his stomach as he came closer and closer. "I-I...!"

"I know..." Shunsui said in a husky voice. His hand came down to rest on the one giving Jyuushiro's erection attention, moving along as it slid up and down the hard length. "I know... I'm close, too..."

Jyuushiro moved his hand faster and faster as the coil in his stomach tightened with each passing second. He moaned loudly as his back arched, spraying against his chest. Shunsui felt the younger's walls clamp down on him, coming to his own orgasm. He released inside the frail body before he slumped down against his lover, snuggling in close.

They laid in silence for a few minutes before Shunsui spoke. "...We should get ready..."

Jyuushiro moaned in protest, his face pressed against the elder's shoulder. His eyes were closed, almost asleep.

Shunsui chuckled and sat up, bringing the smaller man with him. "No time for sleeping. Come on; we've got an hour."

Ukitake sighed before he nodded reluctantly. He wiped himself off with the corner of the bed sheet before he stood up, heading into the bathroom to shower. He was joined soon enough by the brunet, and it wasn't surprising when they ended up distracted once again by each other.

Needless to say, Hana could only laugh when her son told her why they were late for dinner.

**A/N There will be the epilogue next chapter.**


	21. Chapter 21

Dinner was going very well for Shunsui's family. Sogyo and Koto were well-behaved, still a little shaken from having been living with Byakuya, but just glad to be back with their father. Nanao was as professional as ever, eating her dinner quietly and only making small talk. Shunsui and Jyuushiro sat side-by-side as they spoke to Hana, the topic of Aizen carefully avoided.

"I'm very glad to hear that things are going well." Hana smiled as she delicately cut her steak into pieces, her rich upbringing showing in everything she did. She gently reprimanded her son for displaying such careless manners, smiling as she did so; Shunsui had never been cut out for the rich lifestyle; he was too laidback and carefree, caring nothing for rules and regulations.

"Mom, don't be such a slavedriver." Shunsui chuckled as he waved his fork around lazily. "Look; Jyuu-chan has spilt some of his ramen on the table, but you haven't told him off for slopping."

"But Jūshirō-kun is not my son. I would never try and take the place of his real mother. Now you; stop talking and swallow what you have in your mouth."

Jyuushiro smirked at his boyfriend before he returned his attention back onto his food. He smiled at his children when they started competing for his attention, gently shushing them and asking them to finish off their dinner.

"Oh, yes, Shunsui; I forgot to tell you," Hana placed her cutlery down beside her plate, a serious expression crossing her face. "I saw your father the other day in town. He asked about you."

Shunsui's happy demeanour changed into one of worry and depression. He looked down at his lap for a few seconds before he started wheezing. He grabbed his inhaler and took a few puffs before he reached out and grabbed Jyuushiro's hand. "...What did he say...?"

"He asked how things are going with you and Lisa." Hana didn't miss the scoff her son gave, and she didn't blame him; his father had been out of the picture for twenty years now and had never gave a damn about what Shunsui did or achieved.

"Lisa and I broke up ten years ago, and she passed away just a few months beforehand..." Shunsui mumbled, his voice bitter.

Hana nodded. "I explained that to him. I told him you're with Jyuushiro-kun now."

Shunsui's breath hitched at these words and his grip on his partner's hand tightened. "...How...?"

"He took it well, actually." Hana explained. "He nodded and said to tell you he said hello."

Jyuushiro wondered what Hana was doing talking to Shunsui's dad if he were as bad as he had been lead to believe. Shunsui, as if sensing his confusion, explained.

"He... went to jail..." Shunsui said. "After that, he was sent to rehab for his drug addiction. We were told he was better, but... I don't want to know him..."

"I understand." Jyuushiro was ready to listen to his boyfriend some more if the older man needed an outlet for his stress, but Hana had already started talking again.

"He said he'd love to see you again one day, but I told him it was unlikely. He left soon after that."

Shunsui nodded. "I see. I'll think about what he said. Anyway, Jyuushiro has new medication so forgive him for feeling a bit drowsy. I can feel him slipping off to sleep on my shoulder."

The brunet turned his head and looked down affectionately at the head of white hair that was using his shoulder as a pillow. He leant down and placed a quick kiss on Jyuushiro's head before he wrapped his arm around the frail body.

Hana smiled. "You love him."

"I do. So much. I would do anything for him."

"I can see that. Look after him, honey."

Shunsui let Jyuushiro sleep throughout the rest of dinner, knowing that he needed the rest. He ignored the people that gave them disgusted looks, not bothered in the least by what people thought about his relationship. He only hugged the younger closer to him, focusing on his family to not give them the satisfaction of a reaction.

Jyuushiro stayed asleep for the rest of the night, not even waking as he was carried to and from the car. He was curled up in Shunsui's arms, sleeping peacefully for the first time since Aizen had attacked him.

Shunsui knew it would be a long road to repair the damage they _all _had suffered, but he knew they could do it; they all loved one another enough to keep them going.


End file.
